Final Fantasy VI World of Balance Novel
by theDavidLogan
Summary: Fan Novelization of Final Fantasy VI Written by David Logan and James Moon, authors of Paradigm Shift Saga: Malediction. All characters/locations/terms from the Final Fantasy video game series are exclusive property of Square Enix or other respective property holders.
1. Prologue

Hello! Welcome to the fan Novelization of Final Fantasy VI by David Logan and James Moon

James and I have kicked around the idea of FFVI as a novel for a long time. Having been recently inspired by the Final Fantasy VII Unofficial Novel by M. J. Gallagher, we decided to give this massive undertaking a shot.

If you have an opinion on this large piece of fan fiction, please let us know! We love feedback, good or bad, but if it's going to be bad, please do your best to make it constructive.

Final Fantasy VI is one of my favorite stories of all time and I'm excited to present it in a novel format. This story is not written for profit, but is a celebration for our love of FFVI and hopefully a way to honor the talented individuals who brought us the original game and its re-releases! It is our hope that anyone who happens to read this story will enjoy it as much as we do.

All characters/locations/terms from the Final Fantasy video game series are exclusive property of Square Enix or other respective property holders.

.o.O.o.

**Final Fantasy VI: World of Balance**

**Prologue**

The city was a wonder in its own time, a marvel in a world of marvels. Most who had not witnessed it for themselves would scoff at the rumor of the flying machines that could be seen on any given day patrolling the air space of the glorious metropolis.

The city was Vector, heart and capitol of the great force of man-made might known collectively as the Empire. Vector held a long heritage, being the source of prosperity for all of the Southern Continent as well as the birthplace of many recent scientific advances and valued political debates. Its architectural beauty drew in designers from the farthest lands to study its genius.

The capitol city's supremacy did not however, end with its rich culture and picturesque landscape. In recent years its military had grown at an unexpected and alarming rate. Neither army nor kingdom was a challenge for its armed forces and no militia dare lay siege to it. Because of this the people who called Vector home seemed safe and happy, but such a status did not come without decades of labor.

The city had been built stone upon stone and brick upon brick by the blood and toil of the family Gestahl. They had taken great pains to ensure none went without work or a place to rest their head at night. In the world the Empire had created for its people the crime rate was almost non-existent, life expectancy was high and the steam engines ran on time to the tune of the iron will of the beloved Emperor Gestahl.

Eldest son of the twelfth generation, he had become the sole surviving heir to the family's immense fortunes and political girth. As great an empire as his had become, the Emperor's thirst for power could not be quenched. Cities, states, kingdoms and other governmental societies were silenced and assimilated as the Emperor saw fit.

Outwardly, Gestahl's miraculous accomplishments were celebrated by all who saw them, while just beneath the lip service praise, unease began to fester. The Emperor gained much power, and too quickly in the eyes of those who shared his boarders. The sudden progress of the Empire seemed something to be dreaded, but many turned a deaf ear to it. Better to pretend there was no danger than to believe Vector could be a threat to them. Few dared venture a word that could incur Vector's wrath.

The Emperor used the people's denial and complacency against them. Each city of the Southern Continent bent to his will one by one through negotiation of terms or by forceful invasion. Those who bowed before Emperor Gestahl were rewarded. Those who opposed him were removed. The great and mighty day of the Empire had come and none could stand against it.

.o.O.o.

A squadron of dual propeller flying machines zipped under an arching bridge. No citizen above or below offered more than a momentary glance. Even the sight of rare airships, like any other thing, could become mundane if one was subjected frequently enough to their presence. No citizen of Vector paid them heed as the machines continued to the heart of the Imperial capitol. They slowed their engines and entered a docking bay high above the city streets, disappearing from view.

The machines, which were known as Sky Armor, were the preferred transportation of Kefka Palazzo, the Emperor's personal advisor and aid. The Emperor had chosen this day to see the majority of his hierarchy gathered within the Imperial Palace and Kefka was no different. Even the highest ranking officials would come running when summoned by the Emperor.

Kefka's slender arm reached out and daintily swiped a clearance card through a scanner at a security checkpoint. A light blinked and there came a low buzz announcing access had been granted. He pushed through the door and emerged on his personal balcony. It was one of two opposite the stage where the Emperor was already addressing the assembled governing officials and military personnel. Kefka moved forward and placed his hands on the rail, overseeing the vast meeting hall. He made no sound, merely observing as the Emperor as he spoke.

Emperor Gestahl had chosen this day to wear a majestic golden battle armor. He looked as though he were prepared to ride forth in conquest at the head of his cavalry. In reality, the man had long ago ceased taking an active role in his incursions other than pulling the strings of his loyalists.

Kefka had at best a waning interest in the topic at hand; a relatively small plot of land by the name of Doma. It was inhabited by some outdated 'thee' and 'thou' people. A proud, but foolish lot who cleaved to ancient traditions seeming as ludicrous to him as did the name of their pitiful kingdom. The Emperor's Aid found the concept humorous. Destroying places with dumb names brought him untold gratification.

Gestahl cocked his white bearded head at a soldier who immediately turned on a slide projector displaying a large map of Doma castle and the surrounding areas.

"Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah," Kefka mumbled to himself glancing around the room.

On the adjacent wall was another balcony seating an attractive blonde in a black petal dress. So focused was she on the goings on below, she hadn't noticed the Aid's probing eyes inspecting her, discerning even her most private thoughts, observing every quirk and mannerism to commit to memory for future use.

"Oh-Ce-less," Kefka sang under his breath.

Perhaps she suddenly felt his eyes upon her, for she looked up at him with surprise and a trace of disgust. Inwardly, Kefka enjoyed having that effect on people. The marks of power he wore with pride unnerved those beneath his greatness, to his infinite glee.

At a glance, his face could be described as unsettling or even frightening. Like the rest of his body, his features were thin and pale. Just above his high cheekbones were crescent shaped streaks of red cradling his lower eyelids. The design curved out the outer edge of his eyes into the shape of two talons with a final spike dropping straight down. The marks would appear to be some type of war paint if not for the natural way they blended into his skin. Their shaped hinted at some wicked underlining that made one desire to tear away from his gaze, yet his strange unnatural charisma made it difficult to look away from his piercing blue irises.

The corners of Kefka's lips pulled up into an almost demonic smile and with effort Celes averted her eyes. She turned completely away from him causing his smile to widen all the more.

Kefka's attention shifted. His face brightened when he caught the word 'destroy'. He looked down to catch what he hoped would be the end of Gestahl's ramblings.

"General Cristophe, has Doma received our offer of compromise?" Gestahl spoke into his microphone.

General Leopold Cristophe sat behind Gestahl in the last chair upon the stage. He seemed to struggle with the slightest hesitation. Kefka couldn't quite put his finger on what it was, but he knew at once, the good general was hiding something. Kefka rested his arms on the railing and leaned forward.

"This oughta be good," he whispered to no one in particular.

Leo pulled himself to his feet just a bit too slowly. The General was an awe-inspiring sight to behold. His uniform well pressed and without wrinkle. He wore it well, like a second skin it seemed; a fitting example for his fellow soldiers. In fact, almost everything about Leo was perfect, from his polished long sword, to the well stitched threading of the Imperial insignia on his uniform's left breast. He had even taken the greatest of care with something as trivial as the extra coat of polish upon his boots. General Leo was Kefka's least favorite person he could imagine.

"We have received their reply today my Lord," Leo said.

Kefka again detected some strange hesitation in the general's voice.

"Excellent," the Emperor seemed pleased.

The unseen speakers around the room were well placed. Leo's voice could be heard in every corner. "My liege, perhaps this is a matter best discussed in private. Communication between two divergent cultures can be diffi-"

"General Cristophe," Gestahl pronounced the name with a hint of irritation. "I asked you a simple question. Can you not give me a simple answer?"

Leo seemed to consider this a moment, before finally answering, "Of course my Lord."

Gestahl nodded in approval.

Kefka held his breath in anticipation.

"They said," Leo took a deep breath and unrolled a parchment he held in his hand. "Verily, thou art a decisive ruler with intentions honorable and gestures befitting of thy nobility. However, we decline to bow to thee with the same fervor as we would likewise decline lowering our guard to a common, villainous, tallow-faced contriver, whom thou, for thy part, would likewise turn away from. Happily we bend knee to family, country and King. To thee we stand and say..." General Leo met his Emperors eyes, "fare thee well."

A wave of whispers and murmuring erupted from the crowd. The soldiers were outraged at the way the foreign knights had spoken to the Emperor. General Leo risked a fleeting glance at the balconies. He saw the blonde woman bring her clenched fingers to her lips to suppress a grin. The Emperor's Aid, was not so subtle. Leo was too far away to hear the faintest sound, but expression in itself was enough to tell the tale. It was all Kefka could do to keep from doubling over with laughter.

"Forgive me my Lord. Their insubordination will be dealt with," Leo spoke, and the soldiers fell silent.

Gestahl, addressed the crowd with a bemused tone, "Domans are known for their grand phrasing when they mean to be condescending. Consequently they are _always_ wordy. They shall find their Emperor, however, more plainspoken. Cut off all supply routes to their castle. Let us see if we can improve their manner of diplomacy. Given time, they may find our offer more enticing," he did not oblige so much as a glance back at his General.

"As you command, my liege," Leo replied.

As the general took his seat, Gestahl continued, "As a final matter, intelligence reports that South Figaro has become a stronghold for the rebel group known as the Returners. I spoke to King Figaro about it when some of our troops mysteriously vanished near there. He denied all knowledge of their disappearance and promised to send search parties for them at once," Gestahl paused. "In short... He lied. To what extent, I am not yet certain.

General Chere!"

All heads turned to the balconies as the golden haired beauty came to her feet, as did the two soldiers seated behind her.

"Yes my Lord," she bowed toward the Emperor. She was not expecting to be called on, but did not seem rattled as the attention of the room focused upon her.

"Prepare to storm South Figaro. It is time I showed that young fool I mean business."

"Yes my Lord," she replied again.

"Good," the Emperor nodded to her. "Furthermore, I believe this meeting is adjourned."

Letting out an explosive breath of relief, Kefka passed through the curtain at the back of his balcony. He followed a private hallway to a set of red-carpeted stairs emptying out on the western end of the stage. He could see General Leo had just finished speaking with the Emperor and gave a final bow before filing out after the other officers.

"Why do these things have to be so long?" Kefka whined, as he cleared the bottom few steps.

"They simply add meaning to their useless lives," Gestahl turned to his aid and advisor.

The Emperor spoke without fear that the microphones may broadcast his voice. They had been shut off punctually, the moment Gestahl commanded the meeting to end.

Kefka knelt upon one knee and looked up at his Lord, appearing as humble as possible, "You asked to speak with me, my liege?"

"Indeed I did. I have some matters requiring a degree of discretion, and I thought you should see to them personally. I want you to have Cid initiate production of the second battalion. Magitek will be the key to our victory against the Northern strongholds. Have they not seen the foolishness of resistance?"

"None can see as clearly as you, my liege."

The Emperor motioned for his Aid to stand. and continued, "I will also be expecting you to keep short reins on our two ambitious generals. Report to me often. Things are beginning to come together on the battlefield. I do not want to miss the smallest detail. I have trusted you many times to handle such things for me. I know you will tap every resource to insure nothing goes off track. We will not allow Doma or Figaro to stand in the way of progress. If left unchecked, our enemies could well unite against us. We must squelch this possibility, no matter the cost."

"It will be my pleasure," Kefka gave a sardonic smile.

"This brings us to what is perhaps your most important assignment. I have been in dialogue with Mayor Warren. It would seem the mountains of Narshe hold a greater treasure than diamonds and stone. A treasure that has been hidden away for some time. There is a creature buried there, a winged serpent I'm told. An esper. Of course we cannot leave such a precious resource in incapable hands, can we? You must lay siege to this town. I want it, all of it. Where one specimen has been uncovered, there are likely more."

Kefka nodded in agreement.

"I have briefed the soldiers you will need for this mission. They are standing by. As is our lovely Terra."

"Terra? My Lord?"

"Indeed. She will be a great tool in acquiring this...creature, and I trust her care only to your hands. Do not let her out of your sight for a moment. She is still hot tempered I fear. She will need your guidance. You know she is as much a daughter to me as you are endeared to my heart as a son."

"Of course my Lord," Kefka was visibly moved by the Emperor's affection. "Your words are engraved upon my very soul."

"Then you are dismissed."

Emperor Gestahl watched as Kefka returned to his staircase.

"Oh and, Kefka..."

The Aid halted and turned once more to his master.

"Do not return without her."

Kefka bowed low before heading off to tend to his duties. He seemed to have a certain spring in his step. The Emperor's Aid was a prudent servant, if not a well liked one.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**Rumors of Magic, Marvels of Science**

Two men rode in large robotic suits through the falling snow. Their brown armor made them easily recognizable as Imperial soldiers, the uniformed thugs of Emperor Gestahl. Their base uniform consisted of a black body suit over which they wore a thigh length coat of brown leather armor and a rounded helmet bearing the Imperial insignia in the center. These particular soldiers had been issued Magitek Armor; the dreaded mechanical suits they rode snugly inside. Only the most promising of Gestahl's troops were ever given the chance to pilot the sophisticated machines, earning the title of Magitek Knight.

"There it is, Biggs," one of the soldiers said as he held a pair of night vision lenses up to his eyes.

"I see it, Wedge," the second replied to his superior. "Narshe is dead ahead."

Narshe was a winter city; always cold, and nestled in mountains. Its quaint wooden houses were built within a wide valley upon various platforms both natural and man-made. The elevated sections of the city were connected by stairs and bridges leading up and over many of the buildings below.

Steam billowed forth from several openings in the town's famous heating system, which connected every house by way of thick pipe. The pipes in turn ran to large generators scattered throughout the town. Most outsiders refused to even visit Narshe due to its climate and remote location, but the people who lived there wouldn't have it any other way.

Biggs gave the signal to stop their approach as he attempted to get a better look through his binoculars. The thick snowfall did not make it easy.

"Doesn't look like much. Just a lot of old houses buried in the snow," he said.

Wedge shook his head, "Never been to Narshe before, huh? Don't expect much excitement unless you count the pub on every corner."

"Maybe this place won't be _so bad,_ Wedge."

"I guess so. Something doesn't feel right about this trip. Had some strange dreams last night. Can't shake it off."

"It's about the creature. Isn't it?"

Wedge nodded, "Hard to believe an esper has been preserved here so long after the War of the Magi."

Biggs looked over at his companion, "Think it's still alive? Or just another wild gobbler chase?"

"Biggs, I don't know what to expect, but it's got to be big. Otherwise, they wouldn't have sent Her with us. You know as well as I do, she gets her orders directly from the Emperor."

"Pffft, he can keep her," Biggs said. "That girl's blood 's colder than the snow."

Behind the two men the female they spoke of was seated in her own suit of motorized armor. She likewise wore the leather overcoat of an Imperial soldier, though hers was red and bore the Imperial Insignia upon each spaulder. Around her forehead in place of a helmet, rested an intricate ebony circlet with three emerald stones. The center stone was carved in the shape of a teardrop.

"If even half of the stories I've heard about her are true," Biggs said, "then I'm fairly certain she's planning to kill us both in our sleep."

"Before I agreed we'd take her along, Kefka assured me that slave crown will keep her completely submissive. As long as she's wearing it, she has no will, or any thought of self preservation. She'll do exactly as she is told."

Even though the men were speaking about her, the girl didn't seem to notice. Her stunning green eyes were vacant and stared straight ahead.

"Oh really? Anything at all you say...?" the Biggs lips turned up in a mischievous grin. "Now there's a fun way to pass the time."

"Don't get too attached, Biggs. She's going back as soon as we our mission here is complete, and if she's missing one hair on her head..."

Biggs swallowed hard, "Yeah, I get it," he said. "The Emperor will be displeased."

"Let's move out," Wedge stalwartly ordered.

.o.O.o.

It was snowing in Narshe, and rather heavily. This did nothing however to keep its citizens indoors. They had grown quite accustomed to such weather and only a true blizzard could faze them at all. It was business as usual in the town of endless winter.

The streets were kept clear of ice and snow by large woolly beasts known as vomammoths. The bulky creatures moved with their bellies low to the ground. They crushed the ice with their long tusks and cleared paths through the snow with the plows they drug behind them. In Narshe it was often said the vomammoths weren't the only animals working in the street. On almost every corner a guard sat or slept at his post throughout the town. Conveniently, since the newest Marshall was elected, most of the posts seemed to be near or have something to do with the pubs.

The Marshall was well liked by his subordinates. If not for the easy-going work environment he provided, then for the jokes he inspired when the guards took off at the end of their shift for some inebriated relaxation. In the meantime, the Mayor overlooked his bad attitude, even worse odor, and his love of hard drink. Marshall Julio showed his abilities off to the fullest as he bragged to a group gathered around the light pole in front of Main Street Pub. Encouraging Julio with undue attention had gotten him a little riled up and by this point he tended to leave out a word of his tale here and there.

"So then I, the great Juliooo said 'get back you knaves for I claimed her furst, and sheez mine! Outnumbered I may be, but I don't know when to quit! So I taught him to quit when I put my schword in his gut!" he waved his cutlass about in the air, illustrating as he shouted his brave and somewhat inconsistent story.

A young guard, who had been trying his best to keep up with the drunken rambling could not help but ask about a detail the man seemed to have forgotten in his tale of heroism.

"So were you able to save the girl?"

"Girl?" Julio echoed the word looking confused. "I just wanted to get my keg of beer back! Fighting over a girl is….ridic...re..." he burped rather rudely in the man's face. "A bad idea."

"Julio!" a breathless guard came running around the side of the building.

The sudden movement caused one of the two chained wolves to look up from their spot under the canopy.

"Sir! Imperial Magitek Armor approaches from the south!"

Julio sobered up with a speed born of fear, "What?!"

"I said-"

"I know that!" Julio snapped. "Come! We must warn the mayor before they burn us to a crisp!"

The guards dawned their white hooded cloaks and cloth masks as they prepared to return to the streets. Abandoning their posts, the fearless Narshe guards followed Julio as he ran through town toward the mayor's mansion shouting warnings of the impending attack.

The Marshall led them up some stairs to one of the largest natural platforms in the city. At its edge, iron gates blocked the path to the mayor's mansion.

"Halt," warned the man at the gates. "State your business."

"No time for you!" Julio exclaimed shoving past the guard. "My life is at stake!"

The others helped him to push the gates open.

After more bruises, bumps, and walking in on someone in the bathroom, the group found the mayor of Narshe. He was in his private study where none of them had thought to look. He read from a book of poetry in between puffs on his curved pipe.

"Mayor! Mayor!" the guards filed in without so much as a knock. Each one seemed to try and talk over the next as they shouted at the alarmed man.

"Now see here Julio! What is the matter?" the mayor demanded.

"The Empire is on its way here!" Julio breathlessly announced

The mayor seemed to consider this a moment before speaking. He breathed in a long drag from his pipe. "I told Gestahl it was too dangerous to try and remove the esper while that creature guards it."

"Maybe they've come to kill it?" one guard suggested.

"Perhaps," the mayor said with irritation. "Come. Let's go talk to them."

He exited the room with the guards in tow, donned a heavy overcoat, and left his warm mansion for the front gates of the city.

.o.O.o.

"This snowstorm is pretty bad Wedge!" Biggs yelled, his voice in peril of becoming lost amid the howling wind.

"I know! Just keep moving, I wouldn't want to get the Armor stuck in a snow drift!" Wedge called back.

"Terra, don't lag behind," Biggs said to the girl.

She nodded and sped her armor to keep pace with the men.

.o.O.o.

"The scouts report three Imperials. One female and two male," Julio said as he climbed down the ladder of the lookout tower.

"A female?" the mayor looked up at him. "General Celes?" he asked.

"I don't think so. They said she has green hair!" Julio replied.

"Green hair?" the mayor asked himself. "How curious..."

Julio jumped down upon reaching the third rung from the bottom, "In a pretty ponytail no less. At least that's what the lookout said. I couldn't see a thing for all the blasted snow! And apparently they are riding in mechanical armor."

"Magitek Armor. I don't claim to fully understand myself, but Gestahl told me of it in one of his recent letters. They are bulky motorized body suits...weapons of war. He said they were instrumental in securing the last of the hold out cities across the sea to the south. If we take the Emperor at his word, they fire something he is calling Magitek energy."

Julio frowned, "Magi-what? The heck is that suppose to mean?"

"No idea," the mayor answered. "Let us pray we do not find out, hmm?"

"Mr. Mayor! The soldiers are almost here," the guard in the lookout tower called.

"Good, open the gates, and let's go meet them," the mayor took a calming breath. No sense in letting fear get the best of him. He was sure the soldiers were only coming to deliver a message from the Emperor. Nothing more.

.o.O.o.

"We're here. I think," Biggs said as he squinted to see through the snow.

"Look Biggs, a welcoming committee," Wedge said.

An expensively dressed man in an enormous overcoat stood between ten assorted guards. The men carried round buckler shields on their backs with short swords sheathed at their sides.

Wedge, Biggs, and Terra brought their armor to a halt less than twenty feet before the open gates of the snow entrenched wall. This offered the defenders of Narshe their first good look at the mechanical suits. From foot to shoulder the Armor was just over eleven feet in height. They were humanoid, with hinged arms and legs made entirely of sleek black metal. The soldiers were seated within open cockpits above the machines bulky torsos. The character symbol of the Gestahlian Empire was proudly displayed upon the breast plate of the armor, which protruded outward indicating shielding of a motor or power source. Upon the back of the machines was a large humming generator reminiscent of a backpack.

Despite this impressive display of technology, it was the lack of hands at the end of the arms that had earned Julio and the mayor's collective attentions. They were rounded like a cannon and with two thick metal prongs protruded from each. It took little imagination to guess what they might be capable of.

Wedge stepped over the side of his armor and down narrow ladder carved into it. He walked through the snow and met the mayor halfway with a warm handshake. For the moment the wind was calm enough for the two men to speak without shouting.

"Hello Sir. I am Lieutenant Wedge of the Empire. I bring greetings in the matchless name of the Emperor."

"Greetings Lieutenant, I'm Mayor Warren. I must apologize for the snowstorm, but they are quite common in our lands. Please, allow us to escort you indoors and find something warm to drink for yourself and your companions," he smiled wide at the group. "Citizens of the Empire are always welcome in Narshe."

"The offer is appreciated. But we must respectfully decline. We are under orders from Vector to complete our mission as quickly as possible. Of course, if at that time the offer still stands, we would be more than happy to take you up on it."

The mayor's smile vanished despite his best efforts. The soldier was all business.

"Very well then. After your mission. May I inquire as to what the honorable Emperor Gestahl wishes of us?"

"Yes sir. My associates and I," he gestured back to Biggs and Terra, "have come for two reasons. First, our orders are to destroy the creature you told the Emperor about and take the esper back to Vector. Second, we are to move troops into Narshe and annex your city into the Empire for your protection. His Lordship has been reached by reports that the rebel group called the Returners may be using your town as a contact point. Perhaps even as a base of operations. It would be in your best interests to allow us to assist you in this matter."

The mayor almost went numb. His heart raced. It was worse than he feared. His brow furrowed. He knew Imperial soldiers were arrogant, but this man was beyond belief!

"Annex Narshe?" the old man couldn't help but shout. "You can't be serious!"

The outburst did not affect Wedge in the least, "Yes sir. As I said, the Returners have been reported around here and we fear your city may soon need our protection."

The mayor made an effort to lower his tone, "I'm sorry Lieutenant, but I can't let Narshe do that. We've chosen to remain neutral in your conflict."

"Are you sure you won't reconsider, Mr. Mayor?"the soldier asked him.

"No. That decision is final. But feel free to take the esper anytime you wish."

"I see," he paused. "This is very unfortunate."

"And why is that?"

"You see, Mr. Mayor, we have orders to use any method necessary to improve your decision, should you refuse."

A humming noise startled the group of guards. It came from Biggs' suit of Magitek Armor. The soldier had a cocky smile on his face.

"Absolutely not!" the mayor protested. "Lieutenant, was it? I demand to speak with the Emperor at once! Narshe will not stand by and tolerate these insults!"

Wedge backed away, shaking his head in disapproval. "Let 'em have it," he said curtly.

As the lieutenant climbed back into his own Armor, those of Biggs and Terra strode forward.

The mayor stood unmoving, as well as his men behind him. "We're not budging," the mayor warned. "If you want Narshe, you'll have to go through us."

The soldiers showed no sign of stopping their pace. The metallic suits made a clanking sound with each step, steam rose from exhaust pipes built into their generators and the hum of hydraulics could be heard with each movement of the limbs. As frightening as the suits were, Narshe's defenders did not back down. They weren't going to let a few headstrong soldiers bully them. The guards drew their weapons. The word the Mayor had used: 'Magitek energy', formed over and over in their minds.

Biggs' armor's left arm raised and positioned itself eye level with the group. There was a crackling sound as energy pulsed between the protruding tines of the arm. Without hesitation it fired a solid beam of concentrated fire. The barrel recoiled with the blast.

The mayor attempted to move, but stumbled backward and the energy streamed by overhead. The blast was a long cylinder, a solid beam of fire energy. Somehow the Empire had manipulated the very fabric of nature to attack at their command. The guards barely had time to dive to the ground as it flew past them. They watched as the flame hit a light pole near the gates. Its impact ignited a sizzling blaze melting a section of the pole. It bent to the ground with a scream of twisting metal. The light shattered in the snow.

The guards wasted no time in rushing through the gates back to the inner side of the wall. The mayor quickly joined them.

"Do not fear them men!" Julio barked. "There are ten of us and three of them! When they enter, we rush from both sides!" he grit his teeth and hefted his sword into an attack stance.

The other guards followed his example and the mayor slipped back to a safer distance. The first two suits of Armor trampled over the spot where the guards once stood. Wedge was just behind them.

Julio rallied his men to battle, three of which retreated in the opposite direction, and charged Bigg's armor the moment it came into view around the wall. A metallic arm slammed into several of them knocking them flat and sending the others scrambling. They had no chance against a blow from the fearsome Armor. One of them had been killed. The smart ones remained on the ground with him.

From one of Terra's arm cannons came a blast similar to Biggs', but this time it was a beam of lightning energy. The beam struck one of the guards who had attempted to run. He screamed wildly as it punched straight through him. His body was quickly incinerated. Another guard running near him shrieked and fell to the ground with terror.

Terra and Biggs continued forward, paying no mind to the mayor as he hid behind a leg of the watchtower. Wedge was quickly within the city limits as well. His Magitek Armor walked right over one of the felled guards who fought to rise. The man reached out for help as the foot came down on him, crushing him beneath its immense weight. Biggs and Terra began firing the magical beams into the city. It took only moments for them to reduce sturdy buildings to collapsing rubble.

The door to a nearby tavern opened and frightened patrons poured out in mass confusion. A man appearing in his late-twenties stepped casually from the group. The pushed up sleeves of his black jacket caused him to stand out in the snow.

"What's going on?" he asked audaciously.

As if in answer, Terra took aim at him and selected an ice beam. The man dove into the snow and the blast hit the doors to the café, shattering them and freezing traces of ice around the empty doorframe.

"Whoa! What did I do now?" the man yelled from the ground. He straightened the blue bandanna on his forehead after the rough dive.

Terra fired another beam of lightening. It struck the ground where the man had been as he rolled away. She fired at him again and again, alternating cannons. The power generator built into the back of her armor hummed furiously as she launched each successive attack. In all this, she succeeded only in blowing holes in the side of the café as the man outran her every shot. Seeing the futility of the cannons, she stopped and steepled her hands.

The man did not understand why she hesitated, but did take the opportunity to face her and draw a small dagger from his boot. He found his balance and threw it directly at her head. Terra never flinched. She spoke a single word:

"Fire."

In an instant three fireballs materialized above her and surged at the man in rapid secession. The falling snow in their path was consumed as well as the man's throwing knife.

"Eep!" he exclaimed, running backward.

The flames each collided with the ground right at his feet. He turned ran for all he was worth, disappearing within the cover of an alley. Satisfied, Terra looked for a new target.

A beam of fire came from Wedge's Armor and connected with the center of the café. There was a small explosion and the building burst into flames.

"You seem to be having too much fun with this!" Wedge said. "Let's try and concentrate on the buildings!" he spoke to Terra in a half amused, half irritated tone.

The green haired girl peered back at him over her shoulder. There was no expression on her face whatsoever. She simply nodded and turned back to business.

Biggs on the other hand, had never stopped firing for a moment. Many homes had fallen prey to his deadly accuracy. People who fled from the burning buildings were picked off as well. Few escaped the wrath of the Magitek Armor and new explosions filled the sky with every moment. Wedge seemed to take pleasure in firing upon heating generators or any other device that might cause more explosions.

"Stop! Please stop!" Mayor Warren cried to the soldiers. He made a desperate run toward them. Julio and another guard followed just behind him.

Terra gave not the slightest pause of blasting at every building in sight. Biggs halfway watched the mayor while still launching a stray beam or two. Only Wedge pivoted his armor around to face the shouting man. It spun from the waist up, leaving the legs facing the burning buildings. There was a quick hum of hydraulics as the armor turned. Julio gulped as the smoking cannons looked down on him.

"Changed your mind?" Wedge asked.

"Yes! Yes! Anything! Just please stop this madness!" the mayor shouted over the sounds of explosions and screaming.

Biggs' armor pivoted around to face the mayor as well.

"Biggs! Terra! Enough!" Wedge called to them.

Terra immediately halted and leaned back awaiting further instruction. Biggs launched a final blast of fire before stopping.

"Finger slipped!" he yelled.

The long beam collided with one of the lookout tower's legs and it pitched forward dangerously close to the cowering mayor and his two guards. They hit the ground to avoid the crash.

"Please, please stop!" The mayor pleaded without standing. He covered his head with his arms, as if he could hide himself from the wrath of the Imperial soldiers.

"You are to send word to Emperor Gestahl about your unconditional surrender immediately," Wedge commanded.

Mayor Warren scrambled to his knees, "I-but Narshe is-I can't! Please Lieutenant, have mercy on our town! We would never oppose the Empire!"

"Fingers are slip-ping again!" Biggs taunted in a sing-song manner. His cannons took aim at the mayor himself.

"Now Mayor," Wedge spoke in a parental tone. "I heard you were a sensible man."

"Of course, right away," Mayor Warren downheartedly conceded.

"Good idea," Wedge commented. "You! The man with the gold tooth!" he pointed at Julio. "Yes you! Lead us to the esper if you value your life!"

Julio seemed about to protest.

"Julio, do it!" Mayor Warren ordered.

Marshall Julio glared at the Mayor, disgusted with his cowardice. "Follow me," he said angrily.

He marched by the suits of Magitek Armor toward the burning wreckage before them. A few coarse utterances came from under his breath. He did his best not to look at any of the dead or injured people. He would pass through his own city as nothing more than a prisoner of the Empire and their great machines of war.

.o.O.o.

Authors Note:

Lots of love and hard work goes into this story, so if you enjoyed it please leave a review. All opinions/thoughts/critiques are welcome, good or bad!

We are in need of editing! If anyone would like to volunteer to edit any of these chapters, please let us know!


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**The Frozen Esper  
**

The four marched down the main road of Narshe. Most of the town's people had shut themselves up in their homes. Behind them, in the distance, Mayor Warren directed teams who worked to get the various fires under control. The man with the blue bandanna was among the volunteers.

Julio tore himself away from the scene and looked ahead. He was almost jogging to keep pace with the Magitek Armor even though they had slowed pace so he could better keep up. The Marshall noticed a small lock partially concealed within Terra's hair holding the ominous band around her head. He wondered what the thing could be. It seemed these soldiers from the south were full of surprises.

Unexpectedly, Terra turned and looked directly at Julio, visibly startling him. Her eyes were dull and devoid of life. He felt as though he must break away before she would somehow rob him of his very soul.

He spoke aloud just to clear his head. "There they are. The mines are just up ahead. That entrance there," he pointed.

"How did you find the esper?" Wedge asked.

"We uncovered it mining for coal...obviously," Julio answered.

"Interesting. Anything else we should know before we head in?"

"No, there's nothing in there. Just some ancient tablets we uncovered with that _thing_. It was frozen in a block of ice. I wanted to thaw it out, but that jackass Warren decided to call in you guys. He thought you might appreciate the favor."

"We could use more guys like Warren in the Empire," Biggs said.

Wedge snorted, "Agreed."

Julio halted before the mine entrances. The one he had pointed out to them was sectioned off with rope across the opening.

Wedge turned to Julio, "Be a helpful guard and stand watch here. Your Emperor will be grateful. Don't let anyone by. Understand?"

"Sure. I guess so."

The mine entrance was one of the larger ones and Biggs and Wedge were able to enter side by side with no problems. Terra followed behind them as always.

"Finally out of the snow," Biggs said trying to adjust his eyes to the dark of the cave.

"We need light," Wedge stated.

"Got ya covered," Biggs unlatched a lantern style flashlight from below his console and switched it on. He hung it from the side of his armor.

Terra hit a button and the bulky torso of her armor parted, revealing a round light source. It flashed to life and illuminated the cave for a good distance in front of them. Wedge and Biggs shielded their eyes as they looked back at her.

"How come she gets all the fancy stuff?" Biggs complained.

Wedge shook his head. "Just enjoy it while they let us keep her. Take the lead Biggs. I'll cover our backs. I don't trust that Julio idiot."

The top of his Wedge's armor pivoted around toward the cave entrance while the legs kept walking forward. Both soldiers kept their trigger fingers ready while they pushed onward through the shadows. Biggs use his flashlight to examin the wooden supports holding the cave walls erect. The only sound was the slow chugging of the armor with each step and the low hum from their generators.

Biggs let his armor fall back beside Terra. "I've always wanted to know..." he started. "What's it feel like to use real magic? To throw fire from your hands?"

Terra did not answer for a moment. Save for the word fire, Biggs and Wedge had never heard her speak. She opened her mouth slowly as though it were difficult for her to form words.

"I do not know," she looked at the palm of her hand. "I suppose it is like anything else."

Her voice almost caused Biggs to shudder. He thought nothing could be creepier than her emotionless face, but her monotone voice caused him to fear the dark of the cave. He shrugged the feeling off with a joke.

"You know Wedge, I don't like my women brainless."

"You don't get many women regardless of their brain count," Wedge replied.

"Shut up," Biggs muttered.

Wedge chuckled a bit at his friend's expense.

"Terra thinks I'm cute though, don't you Terra?" Biggs asked.

Terra looked at him, but said nothing.

"Aw, come on," he continued. "Not even a little bit? Tell me how cute I am."

"Biggs..." Wedge warned.

Terra brought her Magitek Armor to an abrupt halt, "Idol conversation is forbidden," she stated.

A low groan came from somewhere in the distance.

Bigg's mouth closed as he and Wedge stopped in their tracks.

"Wedge, that's your stomach, right?" he asked, moving his armor a few paces forward.

"Afraid not, buddy," Wedge rotated his armor back to its normal position and he moved up beside Terra. He inspected her face, while she continued to look straight on.

The groan drew nearer, echoing throughout the large cave. There was humming as Biggs powered up his cannons. Wedge followed his example.

"Kill the light," Wedge instructed.

With a hiss, Terra's Magitek Armor sealed once more and her light vanished. Biggs switched off his flashlight, leaving them in complete darkness. The three waited silently. No sound was heard save for the low hum of their canons.

Biggs took a few calming breaths. "I don't hear anything," he switched on his flashlight and scanned the area. "I think it was just the wind."

"You're probably right," Wedge agreed. "Let's get going, slowly-"

There was a strange sound of wet movement.

"Wait!" Wedge exclaimed in a hushed tone, pointing toward the sound.

Biggs flashed his light in the direction of the noise. It fell across something large about twelve feet from them. The light did not reveal the entire creature, but what they saw was enough to send their hearts racing.

It was a brownish green colored body of slimy flesh with something hard and pink connected to it. Then the smell hit them; like the stench of rotten meat. They could hear a squishing sound as if it slithered along the cave floor.

There came a growl and something burst forward connecting with Wedge's Magitek Armor. Biggs flashed the light over to him. The large thing was clinging to the front of the armor. The flashlight revealed a horribly gnarled brownish-green face at the end of a long cord thin neck. Wedge let out a shout as the thing's sharp teeth came into focus and he smelled its putrid breath.

Green feelers sprouted from the top of the creature's wide forehead. They discovered Wedge's body, touching his face and chest and the soldier grimaced, pushing them away with his hands. This caused the monster to growl once more.

"Terra, lights!" Biggs shouted, rather annoyed that she hadn't done so on her own.

Her armor opened again, providing the brilliant glow.

Wedge was belted across the face with the feelers as the monster shrieked away from the sudden flash. Its bulging green eyes were like orbs, protruding outside its head. The soldiers could tell the light burned them. The beast covered the overdeveloped lenses with its webbed hands and slunk back into the shadow away from the soldiers. Wedge's armor was layered with a thin slime.

"It must be that creature mentioned in our briefing. Warren probably hoped it would kill us. That little weasel. Terra, back the light up a bit, if you please."

As she inched her armor back, she illuminated more and more of the cave. Biggs and Wedge aimed their cannons into the receding darkness. The light began to reveal the monster's slimy underside. It was the brownish color they had seen from before, not unlike that of a snail or a slug. The body grew out of a dirty pink spiral shell, covered in spines at the top. As the light showed it fully they saw its face and lanky arms again. This time it did not allow itself to look away, its lidless eyes were furious. It stood at an even height with their armor.

Now that Wedge had gotten a good look at it, it was more than he wanted. "Let's fry this snail," he commanded.

As if it understood the cue, the creature lurched forward much quicker than they could have expected. Biggs' bolt blast only served to sheer a spike or two off of the thing's shell. Terra and Wedge's beams struck dead center and the creature screamed, writhing its head back and forth. Light flashed and crackled inside the beast's shell. Its long arms reached out taking hold of Wedge's armor once more and its face went even with his. Slime dripped from its teeth onto the control panel and sizzled as though it burned. Un-strapping his armor's harness Wedge quickly hoisted his legs up onto the sides of the armor and pulled himself out.

"Terra, don't fire!" he raised a hand at her as she took aim at the monster once more. Wedge drew his sword and leapt over its hands as they reached for him. He landed on the ground at a roll and got back to his feet quickly. The creature turned to devour him.

"Biggs, shoot it! Shoot it now!" he yelled.

But it was Terra, unable to feel fear, who blasted it first with an ice beam. Her attack hit it in the center of its shell. The frost layered upon it sending the monster reeling off balance.

Wedge wasted no time. He buried his blade deep within one of its arms. As the sword pierced it, the weapon began to glow bright blue and injected ice throughout the slimy extremity like poison through blood. The arm seemed to crystallize from within as the ice spread. In only a few seconds the entire lower half of the limb had turned solid and Wedge jerked his blade free.

The monster screeched in pain and shock as its arm shattered. The ice shards fell all around Wedge and he doubled over to protect himself. As he did the creature began to flail wildly and its remaining arm collided with the lieutenant sending him crashing into the rock wall.

Biggs began firing again, driving the monster back. He lashed out with both cannons. His fire beams burned the flesh of the beast. This seemed to anger it and it growled, preparing to charge.

Biggs looked to Terra. "Do something!" he shouted. His moved the cannons up to protect himself from the creature's clawed hand.

In answer, a rectangular compartment just above Terra's light source slid open. Inside it were six small missiles ready to fire. Biggs' jaw dropped. With the push of a few buttons Terra had fired three. They spiraled outward and hit the slug with a brilliant explosion of myriad color. The shell detached as the thing was blown to pieces. The pink spiral flew into the cave wall and splintered, dispersing a wave of crackling energy. The wave caught a nearby support beam on fire and sparked across their Magitek Armor. Slimy remains of the monster showered Wedge where he lay, and even managed to splatter Biggs.

The two men remained frozen a moment, covered in green filth and still shielding themselves from the energy discharge. Terra, had not flinched. None of the residue had reached her. She lay back in her cushioned seat awaiting instruction.

Wedge made an unpleasant sound as he limped to his feet. The monster's remains completely covered him on one side. Biggs gagged at the sight and smell of the slime spewed across his face and chest. He covered his mouth in an effort to control the churning of his stomach. Wedge flicked his arms, slinging off some of the goo, before he retrieved his sword and sheathing it at his side.

"Wedge, you all right?" Biggs' weak voice asked.

"I'm fine," he said irritably. "P.S., this is disgusting."

He took the first step back onto his armor and climbed back to his seat. He slipped a little at the top, but soon re-situated himself. The lieutenant was shaken, but otherwise unharmed. He pulled off his helmet and wiped the green globs from it. It revealed the same foreign symbol displayed on the breast plate of his Magitek Armor. The symbol of the Emperor's lineage reminded Wedge for what reason he fought and whom he served. It gave him the strength to continue.

He peeled off his wet gloves tossing them onto the cave floor.

"Let's get moving, Biggs," he said. "We're going to get this esper and bring it home. If this is the best Narshe can throw at us, they don't realize who they're dealing with."

Biggs nodded and his armor started forward again, but Wedge stopped him.

"Hold on, Biggs," he donned his helmet once more. "Let's put the girl on point. No need in taking any more risks."

"Good idea," Biggs motioned for Terra to take the lead. "Lead us into the caves. Blast anything that moves. Got it?"

She glanced at Biggs in acknowledgment and moved ahead. They heard the remains of the monster's shell crush under the weight of her armor. They moved single file and did little to watch their backs. Wedge no longer cared about Julio or anything else. He just wanted to get the esper and leave Narshe as soon as possible.

Biggs shown his flashlight into the area between Terra and himself. She was rounding a sharp turn little more than ten feet ahead.

"Warn us if you see anything," Wedge told her.

She didn't even look back.

At least ten minutes passed before they all came to a stop. Terra's light had uncovered a solid wooden gate blocking the tunnel from top to bottom and preventing further travel. It was locked up tight with a thick chain.

"I found something," Terra told them without turning back. "The path is sealed."

Biggs moved his armor beside her. He first eyed her, then the gate. His customary grin spread across his face.

With the push of a button both his Armor's arms rotated back. "You're kidding right?" he asked Terra. "This thing isn't sealed." he took a step closer and allowed the arms to whirl back into position, smashing through the gate in the process.

"You have a point," Wedge said from behind him.

Terra lead them into the new section of tunnel. Biggs and Wedge noticed the cave getting colder as they progressed. It was also wider than the previous passages had been, leaving them plenty of room to move their armor side by side through the open space.

Littering the cave floor were chunks of raw ore that cracked as the Magitek Armor walked over them. Four torches burned upon the walls and lit the entire area.

Terra powered down her flash bulb and the armor's torso sealed once more. The group paused a moment in the fire light.

Biggs let out a whistle, "Sure is big," he shone his flashlight around on the high arching ceiling. "Why would they dig up so high, there's no coal up there."

"We must be getting close to the esper," Wedge suggested. "I don't think it was the miners who dug this path."

"Then who lit the torches? The place was locked up tight." Biggs furrowed his brow, scanning the area behind them. No sign of Julio, or anyone for that matter.

Terra's Magitek Armor clattered a bit as she lurched forward. Neither soldier took notice that she had not touched the controls.

"Terra? What do you see?" Wedge asked.

Biggs shown the light on her face.

She did not flinch, nor say a word. Her armor moved forward again toward the darkness ahead. A small glittering light appeared directly before her. She gripped her controls and strode quickly toward it.

A large shape suddenly illuminated. Terra was standing before a solid block of thick ice that took up the entire rear wall of the cave. At first it was dim, lighting only the area around Terra and her armor, but the ice soon glittered brightly and the shadows fled to the cracks and corners of the room.

"Poltergeist, keep us," Biggs breathed.

The ice reached all the way to the ceiling of the cave and branched out sporadically at its sides. Through the thin layer of frost covering the ice, Terra gazed in at a large and colorful creature resting in its center. Suspended this way the animal was a masterwork of art frozen in time, perfectly preserved in its icy tomb.

"The esper! Good work, Terra!" Wedge shouted.

The beast had a long serpentine body, layered in thin blue scales. Its torso alone was ten foot in length and possessed four talon tipped limbs almost like a dragon. The claws seemed to reach toward the soldiers, frozen in mid-attack ready to carry away anyone who dared disturb it. The esper's tail was thin and cord like. It was so long it curved out toward the edge of the ice and looped back under its body. Perhaps the most amazing feature of all were the wings. The huge white wings were double the length of a man and were made up of row upon row of beautiful multi colored feathers. It was a sight no one could expect to accompany such a reptilian specimen. The rarity seemed wasted on the soldiers.

"I guess it's a bird esper," Biggs said. "I thought we'd seen all of them," he aimed one of his canons up at the ice. "Tek-laser anyone?" he frowned. "It's gonna take at least an hour to drag that thing out. Guess we better get to it, Terra."

Even under the influence of her slave crown, Terra couldn't help but move her Armor a bit closer to the incredible animal. She ignored her two masters and became transfixed upon the lifelike figure that seemed to reach out for them. Her face seemed different as she gazed upon it; her features creased with thought.

"Hey, Wedge, I don't like this," Biggs told his friend. "The girl looks more mesmerized than usual."

"It's just your imagination. Here, help me get this tow cable lose," Wedge tugged at the hook attached to the back of his armor. The black cord had become hopelessly jammed. He turned once more and banged on the release button to no avail.

Without warning or explanation the four torches burned out at the same time. An eerie light began to glow from within the ice. It produced broken patches of blue all over the cave, as if it were filtered through some unseen shapes.

"Holy, what the-" Biggs began. "Wedge! It's alive!"

"Blast it Biggs! Fire all cannons now!" Wedge said with a strained voice. He pulled with all his might on the tow cable.

The light began to flicker off and on, taking with it even the glittering illumination from within the ice. The room changed from being covered by blue patches, to pitch black every few seconds.

"Gun's jammed!" Biggs said nervously. "Nothing's responding!" The gauges on his control panel were spinning wildly. He turned to his friend, "Wedge? Wedge, where'd you go?"

The flashing light revealed no sign of the lieutenant aside from his empty Magitek Armor. The cockpit was scorched black and the smell of hot metal still lingered in the air. The tow cable hung loosely over the back. A small click caused Biggs to bring his attention back to Terra. Her slave crown unlatched and the device fell from her brow.

She clutched her head in pain and doubled over letting out a quivering moan. Her face filled with confusion and she looked to Biggs for help. As Wedge before him, Biggs had vanished, leaving only his smoking Magitek Armor behind.

The blue light became steady and the ice lit up again, chasing away the darkness. Terra's eyes widened as bolt of yellow energy blasted out from the esper's chest. It punched through the ice and caught Terra. The beam crackled between them. It waved and sparked as though it were being generated from both and somehow meeting in the middle. Terra's ponytail blew fiercely from the force of gathering energy.

Surprisingly it caused her no pain. She began to experience emotions she had never known washing over her with wave after wave of joy and agony. It was almost unbearable, but some force beckoned her to hold on.

The esper was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. It was as if it wanted to tell her something, but lacked the words. She seemed to feel its mind reaching out to hers. Her thoughts swirled with fragmented images and distant chatter. Her vision spun and her heart raced. She tried to speak, but found she had no voice. She could manage only one thing, and that she did. She threw her head back and let out a piercing scream at the top of her lungs. It felt good to express the uncontrollable feelings.

The light from within the ice intensified. The blue lights flickered rapidly and the bolt of energy flayed. The steamed that connected them completely vanished with the end of her scream.

The blue light stopped. The glitter within the ice faded and Terra was alone in the darkness. The torch lights flared back to life as if they had never gone out at all.

She touched her face. Her entire body had gone numb. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head. She leaned forward, limp against the Armor's safety straps, slipping into unconsciousness. The control panel began to spark as it short circuited.

.o.O.o.

Authors Note:

Lots of love and hard work goes into this story, so if you enjoyed it please leave a review. All opinions/thoughts/critiques are welcome, good or bad!

We are in need of editing! If anyone would like to volunteer to edit any of these chapters, please let us know!


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**A Distant Memory**

_"But, Emperor, this isn't right!"_

_ "I understand your reservations Leo, but...it is for her own good," Gestahl assured the young general._

_ "But why? What good will come of ripping her thoughts from her?"_

_ "You know as well as I it is dangerous allowing such abilities to go unchecked. Her power is growing. We must control it so she does not harm herself...or others."_

_ "I understand, my Lord. It's just...it doesn't feel right."_

_ "There is no cause for guilt. It need not be forever. Just a precaution until she's older and can handle her power safely. You have my word."_

_Kefka stood in front of a girl who was seated in a dimly lit room. Her wrists and ankles were buckled to the chair._

_ "Wake up, my sweet little magic user," he said, tapping her on the tip of her nose. "With you wearing this slave crown, I'll practically own you!"_

_ The girl opened her eyes to look at her new masters and..._

"No!" Terra screamed as she jerked awake.

Instinctively, she clamped both hands over her mouth, but it was too late to muffle the outcry. _It_ had already seen her.

The now familiar blue light cascaded over her face and reflected across the surface of her Magitek Armor. The esper had freed its upper body from the ice and was fixated upon her. Its beak opened and it screeched in protest of its icy confines. The light of the torches flickered and danced in the breeze that filled the cave.

Terra watched closely as its right wing outstretched toward her. The second wing followed. They joined behind her body and she was surrounded on all sides by the creature. It leaned in close and gazed at her inquisitively with its solid black eyes. Slowly she lowered her hands as she began to trust herself not to scream. The esper remained perfectly still and Terra felt her fear alleviate. She reached out and stroked the side of the creature's neck. It leaned into her touch.

Its wings suddenly lifted and energy exploded from its serpentine torso. Terra fell back, terrified, and her vision began to cloud. The image of the esper was fading. Her arms grew heavy and fell at her sides. She took a tight grip on the soft ground beneath her trembling body. She lay rigid, breathing heavily and attempting to calm herself.

It took her a moment to realize she was no longer in the Magitek suit or even in the cave. She was indoors. There was a ceiling above her and a bed beneath. She was comforted by the closeness of the walls and the warmth of the air. At least for the moment she was alone and the creature was gone.

The surroundings were completely unfamiliar to her. There was a closed door on either side of the room. Within arm's reach was a nightstand with a lamp. Against the far wall she spotted an old dresser with an oval shaped mirror and not far from it a red coat with spaulders was folded over a chair.

She forced herself to sit up and her strength began to return. She rubbed her hands down her legs to bring feeling back into them. Her hands lingered as she took notice of the combat gear she was dressed in: a black-bustier and a pair of leather pants with crisscrossing red belts. Her waist was girded with a _skirt of armored pteriges_

She pursed her lips and put her bare feet on the floor. Red boots sat near the bed. Quickly, she pulled them on. With steps, slow and cautious, she approached the dresser mirror. Her eyes fixated upon the glass, waiting for her image to appear as she drew closer. Her hands trembled slightly as uncertainty took hold of her. She wasn't sure what she expected to see. As the edges of her body began to come into view, she gasped and closed her eyes tightly. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward and placed her hands atop the dresser leaning over it. She could feel her head against the smooth mirror.

Cautiously, she opened one eye and got her first peek at the reflected image. It was an unusual feeling, seeing her own face for what felt like the first time. The color of her eye was striking. It shimmered at her like a bright emerald. Her face was young and beautiful. She had high cheekbones with a slender and slightly upturned nose. Her complexion was smooth and fair. She opened both eyes and allowed herself to relax; she was pleasantly relieved by what she saw.

Though she did not remember the image directly, it did feel distantly familiar and that in itself was comforting. Slowly, observantly, she pushed a stray lock of hair from her face. Only then did she notice the feature that made her appear truly exotic. She grabbed her ponytail to see if the image in the mirror was true. Her hair color was aqua green. She tilted her face to get a better look at it.

She raised a matching eyebrow with curiosity. Subconsciously she touched the pendant hanging from the golden necklace she wore. Her fingers closed around the largest ruby. It was one of three. She heard footsteps from outside the door and turned toward the noise.

Whoever was out there, they were coming nearer to her room. Terra knocked over some trinkets on the dresser as she searched for a weapon. The drawers were full of neatly folded clothes. In the corner of the room was a chest. She knelt beside it and flung open the lid. Inside were a pair of dusty trousers, a miner's hat, and a pickaxe. She put both hands around its grip.

The shuffling feet came to a halt just outside the door. Terra felt a surge of energy course through her body. It made her tingle from head to toe. She let go of the pickaxe and backed away from the chest as the strange sensation chased away all fear with its warm breath. A tingle coursed in her hands and she turned them upward to examine them. A small wind flittered across her palms. A spark of light glistened within the center jewel of her pendant. The hardwood floor creaked as the unknown figure moved on the other side of the door. It pushed opened inwardly, concealing her from the one who opened it.

A man with a tray of food entered, using his back to brace the door. Terra gave him a quick look over before he had a chance to realize she had moved from the bed. He appeared unarmed and his body language did not suggest that he meant her harm. He was dressed in a simple blue tunic and had a head full of salt and pepper hair. As he stepped in, he shut the door with his foot and hurriedly placed the tray on the nightstand. He tore back the blankets and looked hard at the bed as though Terra were somehow hidden within it.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Terra demanded. The strange feeling in her hands dissipated.

The man was startled and whirled around to face her, "You can help calm my heart if you tell me we are alone in this room. I feared someone had already found you."

"Who?" Terra asked. "Who is looking for me?"

"The guards, and for that I am sorry. I didn't know you were being manipulated, otherwise I would not have sent for them," the man slumped down on the bed.

"How did I get here?"

"Oh, well...I...I found you. I had followed the three of you into the cave in hopes of an opportunity for a surprise attack. I thought if I could just get the drop on one of the two soldiers I could…well it doesn't matter now. When I got there I saw what happened. The creature reacted to your presence. I saw it shift within the ice and disintegrate the men you were with! I can't understand what caused it to do that. It had never shown signs of life before. I oversee the excavation of those mines. My plan was to bring you back here for interrogation, but..." the old man opened a drawer of the nightstand and removed an ebony circlet with a broken latch.

"I found this."

"What is it?" Terra took the object in her hand, thoughtfully running her finger across its curvature.

"Mind control or so I believe. There are many who would dismiss it as nonsense, but I have learned to listen more than most. I believe that device is something called a slave crown, another of the Empire's many transgressions. You didn't come here of your own free will did you? None of you were prepared for what happened in the mine."

She turned her back to him and shook her head. "I don't have a clear memory of what happened. I remember a large animal and…" she trailed off, seeming preoccupied. "Terra. My name is Terra." The slave crown fell from her hand.

The man stood and moved toward her. "Are you all right?"

"I don't remember anything." She looked at him with confusion.

The man looked down at the device that had fallen from her hand. "A side effect perhaps? Tampering with the mind is a dangerous thing."

"Why would anyone want to control me?"

"To tell you the truth I had been rather hoping you would tell me the answer to that question. But while I cannot tell you why, I can tell you whom."

He moved over to the chair where her red armor rested. He turned it to face her and placed his hand upon one of the shoulder pieces. Inscribed upon it was a letter of ancient text.

Scattered memories came to her in flashes. She had seen the symbol draped over the walls on a red banner somewhere. She remembered walking down a long catwalk escorted by the two men from before. They pulled opened a set of large double doors and a red glow from the room filled her eyes.

"The Empire," the old man interrupted her thoughts.

Terra touched the armor with the tips of her fingers. "Am I…a soldier?"

Their conversation was abruptly cut off by a loud knocking.

"The guards," the man said.

"Open up! Hand over the Imperial witch!" the voice came through the floor below them.

"Witch?" Terra repeated.

The pounding at the door continued.

The man seemed to come to a decision. "We've got to get you out of here."

"What do they want with me?" Terra asked. "You haven't even told me who you are."

The man pushed the armor into her chest, forcing her to take it and rushed to the other door in the room.

"Listen carefully, Terra, my name is Arvis. Consider me a friend. I am sorry I cannot go with you, but I must deal with the guards. You are going to have to trust me." He opened the back door. "Make your way over the bridge and back into the mines. Find a place to hide yourself there and stay put until help arrives."

Terra pulled on the insulated leather and buckled its crossing straps around her chest. "What do you mean? What help?" her hair blew in the bitter cold wind from the open door.

"A friend of mine is meeting me soon," Arvis continued. "I will send him to find you as soon as I can."

The guards' pounding at the door grew louder.

"But..." she started, "there is so much I don't understand-"

"Open the door now or we break it down, old man!"

"Go!" Arvis shoved her outside. "And good luck! I'll delay them as long as I can!"

"Wait!" she cried as the door slammed shut.

Terra found herself on a narrow wooden bridge that ran along the second story of the house like a long balcony. She leaned her shoulder against the door and placed her hand upon it, taking a moment to collect herself.

"But I'm...afraid..." she whispered as if Arvis could somehow hear her.

There came a crash within the house as the guards broke through the front door. Her eyes widened. The noise supplied all the motivation she needed. She ran as fast as she could while being careful not to slip. The surface of the bridge was coarse so little ice stuck to it, but it was high off the ground and there was nothing to catch her if she fell.

Clearing the edge of the house, she spotted a cave entrance on the nearby mountainside. The bridge would take her straight to it.

"Come on," she encouraged herself, taking hold of the single rail.

She ran as fast as her legs could take her. Her footsteps thudded loudly against the wood.

"There she is! She's heading for the mines!" a voice rang from below.

Terra skidded to a stop and looked down to the streets. A guard patrol was pointing up at her. There would be no turning back now. She bolted across the rest of the bridge, nearly losing her footing on a slippery patch, and finally entered the cave. The path ahead of her was a straight shot and she kept up the pace, putting as much distance between herself and the guards as possible. Around the first corner was a lit torch. It was housed in a wire bracket that was mounted on the wall.

"Thanks again, Arvis," she said, pulling it out.

The crackling fire lit her way as she pushed onward through the rock corridors. The path was narrow, but large enough for her. Suddenly her foot brushed by something large and furry. The contact was followed by a resounding hiss. Terra covered her mouth, stifling a frightened shriek. She froze in place, afraid to move an inch for fear of bumping into the creature again. The torch light danced in her eyes as she scanned the floor and the walls for any crack or shadow where something could be hiding. Whatever she had felt, there was no longer any sign of it. She took in a few calming breaths through her nose. Her hand moved away from her lips and she started cautiously forward. The firelight glinted off a set of fangs directly ahead.

Two hideous rats, a foot and a half in height, hunched over as they reared up on their hind legs. They were covered in scruffy and knotted fur, which had stiffened upon sight of the unwelcome visitor. They hissed with agitation at the intrusive flame.

Terra frantically backed away from them. The movement seemed a dinner invitation to the animals. With a bloodthirsty growl they stalked forward.

"Get away!" Terra screamed, swinging the torch at them.

The beasts screeched angrily, backing up from the burning fire.

She swung at them again. "That's right, stay back!"

She inched away from them, but at every opportunity the rats drew nearer. Their eyes never strayed from the sight of their meal. It was clear they were hungry for blood. One of them made a dash at her ankle.

She turned to run, but tripped over a rock outcropping and hit the ground. The torch clattered from her hand. Instantly one of them was on her. She screamed as its sharp teeth bit into her leg. It was like a mouthful of tiny needles. The claws from its hands grabbed at her and tore hungrily into her flesh. With her other leg she kicked the thing, knocking it senseless. It tumbled head over heels, squeaking in protest. Terra lurched forward for the torch, but jerked quickly away from the second set of wildly snapping jaws. Her leg burned like the torch that had fallen out of her reach.

The other rat stood on its hind legs directly beside the fire. Thick saliva hung from its teeth. Terra scrambled back and against the wall. The rat dropped to all fours and began to pace before her. It was joined by its companion and their slinking forms moved in and out of the light as they appeared to size up their opponent.

With a rush of adrenaline, Terra felt the same tingling sensation as she had when Arvis stood outside the door. The sense of clarity returned and things seemed to move a bit slower. She knew exactly what would drive them away. She needed fire. She needed to pick up the torch. She reached toward it, but didn't dare cross her arm over the path of the rats.

"Fire..." she said as she reached forward.

The light from the torch seemed to blaze just a bit brighter. One of the rats looked over its shoulder at the sight.

"Fire!" she spoke again.

The warmth pulsed within her hands. She discovered some type of red energy circling within them. It was as if some repressed instinct was taking over her actions. She smiled with confidence and turned her palms outward. Bending at the knees she leveled the energy at the rats.

In response they scampered toward her, their tiny mouths prepared for a feast.

"FIRE!" Terra shouted.

With a flash the magic swirled, converging into a single ball of flame. It launched outward. The beasts shrieked as they were engulfed by the blast. Their bodies collapsed to the floor in a burning pile. The smell of charred flesh filled the air.

The red glow faded and the sensation left her once more. She slid down the wall to rest a moment. As she waited out the shock, she pulled her knees to her chest. Terra's mind raced and she couldn't stop grinning. She had created fire with her own hands! She held it, but it had not burned her. She had bent it to her will. The feeling was incredible.

As she shifted weight to her leg to stand up, she winched with pain. Her hand protectively moved to the gash the rat had left on her leg. She clinched her jaw in anguish. She had to get up. The guards would be on top of her soon if she didn't. She asked herself what she might do if they found her. She wondered if she would be able to ward them off with the same flames that had protected her from the rats. As she concentrated, the sensation of clarity and warmth returned even more intensely than before. She knew it was going to happen again. She lifted a hand to watch the energy form.

Magic seeped out of her skin, taking the perfect shape of her fingers, although this time it was different. It was a pale green with a white glow emanating from it. Her lips had formed a word before she was consciously aware of it.

"Cure."

The energy moved from her hand, encircling first her arm, then spiraling around her body. The gentle caress poured into the wound on her leg. She watched as the gash began to close. Her body rolled with the delightful sensation. Her hand rubbed the area where the wound had been. Her skin was smooth and without a trace of injury.

With a delighted chuckle, she scooped up the torch. Voices echoed in the distance. She couldn't make out everything that was said, but one of them shouted something about a flash of light and she knew they would soon be upon her.

Terra scrambled to her feet and continued down the tunnel. The walls swung around to the left and the ceiling became lower. She crouched down a few inches to slip through the conjoining crevice in the wall. She froze in the opening. Just ahead, guards were waiting with their backs to her.

She doubled back, but found the group of voices had caught up to her, sealing off her retreat. Two of them carried torches of their own and the man at the lead fought to control a black and white wolf. It strained at its leash, struggling to get to her.

"Box her in!" one of them called out.

A gold-toothed man crawled through the narrow crevice. "No escape this time, girl," he sneered. Torchlight glittered across his blade.

Terra inched back into a corner as the men converged on each side. She held out her hand at one group and the torch toward the other.

"Please let me explain," she told them. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

"Close your mouth, witch!" the man with the gold tooth commanded. "Turn around! Hands behind your back!"

"Don't force me to defend myself," she warned them.

Some of the guards glanced at one another, seeming to consider her words.

"Leave me be," she said. "Things don't have to be this way."

"Not so scary without your Armor are you?" the gold-toothed guard said. "Good people died in your attack today. I am going to make sure you never kill again, Imperial wench!"

"Fire!" Terra commanded. A blaze flew from her hand and the torch in secession, fizzling out on the ground on either side of her.

The guards lurched back protectively.

"I warned you to stay away from me." Fire crackled around her fingertips.

"Shut up!" the gold-toothed man shouted. "Rush her from both sides! Cut her tongue out and that will be the end of her magic!"

Terra kept both arms leveled with the guards. "I won't let you touch me." The flames intensified as she spoke.

The man holding back the wolf pointed at her golden pendant. "What's she got there?" he asked.

The center ruby was glowing brightly and the room became bathed in its light.

"What the-?" Terra and the gold-toothed man exclaimed.

Terra's fingers clenched the object and it responded by glowing brighter. A ripple moved through the ground below them. There was a tremor and the rocks shifted under Terra's feet. Dropping the torch, she scrambled for a handhold as the floor crumbled beneath her. Debris fell all around as she passed through. She let out a startled yelp before she met the hard ground below.

There was a moment of uncertainty among the guards. None of them wanted to be the first to approach the gap. One of them tested the stability of the ground with his foot.

"The floor is safe, fool," the gold-toothed man assured him. "Get down there and get her."

The man moved out toward the edge with caution, trying to put as little weight on the ground as possible. He peered down squinting into the darkness.

"I can't see anything, Julio. Too dark."

The other guards joined him with their torches, but their combined light was not enough to reveal Terra's location. The wolf growled at the pit.

"Ah, I hate these Imperials!" Julio snarled.

"I'm not going down that hole," the first guard to look in said.

"Me neither," agreed another.

"Quiet, cowards!" Julio snapped. "I'm sure one of the other tunnels lead down there."

A few of the guards looked uncertain.

"Come on!" Irritably shoving past them, Julio continued through the cave.

Terra lifted her face from the damp floor and moaned groggily. A shallow trickle of water skimmed across the surface of the cave and her face was lightly muddied from the ground. She struggled to rise, but her body was weak and she was forced to lay down again. She looked across the fallen rocks to her torch as it burned out, leaving her in almost total darkness. She fought to focus her eyes on one of the rocks, but her vision blurred and her head clouded. Her mind began to wander as she fought to remain conscious. Her thoughts strayed and she could make out several shapes. The shapes became buildings...a distant city.

_She saw herself riding in a green and copper suit of Magitek Armor. She wore a white uniform with flared sleeves and a tall collar. The red insignia of the Empire was displayed across her chest. The slave crown was locked into place around her head. _

_The city was aflame and brown armored imperial soldiers assaulted fleeing civilians who scattered in every direction. To her left a group of resistance came running out of a bunker meaning to attack her directly._

_None of them so much as touched her. She turned one of the cannon arms toward them and a plume of green gas spewed forth. The people gasped and fell to the ground choking. They held their burning throats and their eyes became bloodshot. Terra fired one of the tek-missiles from the torso of her Armor. The explosion within the bunker promised it would provide no more opposition._

_Her keen eyes caught sight of a second group emerging to her right. They filed onto the roof of a building no more than forty feet away. With a fearless battle cry they loosed a volley of arrows into the fray. Several found their mark with the Imperial soldiers below. A few stray bolts tinked uselessly against the hull of Terra's Magitek Armor. The rebels had earned a moment of her attention. They would pay for it with their lives._

_With the push of a button a compartment on the rear of the Armor opened. There was a whoosh of releasing air and it launched a round black ball toward the roof. The rebels fired another useless volley of arrows as the projectile landed at their feet. For a few seconds it lay lifeless, then exploded in all directions, creating a wave of black energy. There was a horrible mechanical sound as each of the men who were hit by the blast seemed to have their very life essence drained from their bodies. They collapsed to the ground and were still._

_In Terra's mind a dark and shrill voice urged her to enjoy the deaths she caused._

_"Good! Show no mercy! Make them suffer!"_

_ She remembered facing a crowd of Imperial soldiers afterward. They were gathered on the roof of a building below her. She stood on an adjacent platform near her armor. In the shadows was a man she couldn't completely see, but she could tell he was pleased with her efforts. Facing away from her at the edge of the platform were three people she didn't recognize. A lovely blonde woman, a youthful commander dressed in battle armor, and a large white-haired man who rivaled both in height and size. The man gave a speech of sorts._

_"Soldiers of the Empire, we stand on the dawn of a new age! The lost power of magic has returned to us! We have not been united together by mere chance! We are the chosen ones! For the good of all humanity, the time has come for us to claim our rightful dominion over the world! We shall see the end of war, the end of hunger! Under one banner we shall march bravely through this life as brothers and sisters! The day of the Empire is upon us, and it is a glorious day for us all!"_

The pair at his sides began to clap as he raised his arms skyward. Multiple balls of flame ignited from his hands like fireworks. They lit up the sky far overhead. A loud cry shot forth cheering for Gestahl and the Empire. The man in the shadows walked closer to the group. He smiled wickedly at Terra. She was shocked by the memory of the designs around his eyes. Streaks of red curving out like talons of blood.

She shook her head to escape the man's piercing gaze and the memories were gone. She drug herself forward upon the wet ground. It was painful to climb across the fallen rocks and her eyelids were heavy. Her mind fought to will movement to her body, but she could resist no longer. The darkness claimed her. She laid her face upon the cave floor.

.o.O.o.

Authors Note:

Lots of love and hard work goes into this story, so if you enjoyed it please leave a review. All opinions/thoughts/critiques are welcome, good or bad!

We are in need of editing! If anyone would like to volunteer to edit any of these chapters, please let us know!


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Terra and the Thief**

Glass shattered and pages went flying as Arvis's bookshelf was sent crashing to the floor.

"For the last time, tell me where the girl is hiding or I'll tear this place apart!" a guard wearing segmented green lens goggles yelled.

Arvis sat rigidly at the edge of his reclining chair. A white-cloaked Narshe guard stood ominously on either side of him.

"I told you everything I know! I saw the girl running from the mines! That is why I called you. Why not search for her instead of interrogating me like a criminal? Under the guidance and supervision of the Mayor, I will allow you to search every room of my home, but hear me: if you don't get out of here right now, I'm going to report you for wrongful detainment and destruction of private property. You've already turned my home inside out and rummaged through my closets. Be satisfied and trouble me no more!"

The guard walked across the fallen bookshelf to stand over Arvis. "If I find out you have harbored this witch, it won't be charges you need fear. It shall by my blade in your treacherous gullet! Report that if you wish."

With a sneer, the guard walked out of Arvis' bashed in front door, followed by his two men. As Arvis stood to watch them go, the guard looked back. Arvis could see his reflection in the green goggles.

"We go to join Marshall Julio in the cave. Likely they have her already. Otherwise, I'll be back."

Arvis pushed the busted door closed and pulled a table in front of it to keep it from swinging open again. He hefted his bookshelf back up and leaned it against the wall, looking down upon the pile of fallen books and shattered keepsakes. There came a jostling from upstairs and he looked up the banister just in time to see someone attempting to force open a window from outside. Arvis ran to the bottom of the stairs, picking up an iron-flanged mace the guards had knocked from his mantle. He hurried upstairs and crept to the window, staying close to the wall for cover.

The window slid open and a leg passed through. A man in a black jacket bent down to bring his upper body inside. Arvis hefted his mace to strike, and the man in the window froze. His blue bandanna prevented his sandy blonde hair from spilling into his face. He saw the mace and winced, preparing for the oncoming blow.

It never came. The mace dropped to the floor. Arvis rested his back against the wall with a hand to his chest.

"You almost got yourself killed, you bounderish cad!" Arvis scolded. "It's much safer to enter through the door, you know?"

"Doors don't agree with me lately," the man said as he came in closing the window behind him. "People tend to shoot lightning at me."

Arvis caught his breath. "At any rate, it's good to see you again, Locke! How goes the plundering and thievery trade?"

Locke put on a shocked expression. "Hey! How many times have I gotta tell you? I prefer the term: 'treasure hunting'!"

"Ha! Semantic nonsense!"

"There's a _huge_ difference," Locke maintained.

"Hmph! Since you say you have been dodging lightning, no doubt you saw this little town had some excitement today."

"That's one way to put it. Another way would be to say three crazy soldiers in robot suits kicked down the gates and almost killed everyone in sight including loveable old me. I just spent the last half hour helping put out the flames, but it's a lost cause. They got the best pub in town! No appreciation for the finer things in life. At least Warren was able to pacify them before they burned down the whole town."

"Yes, they were after that frozen creature of course. Our House of Scholars confirm that it is in fact an esper. Short of that, the Empire has no true interest in this coal mining hamlet. Incidentally that esper is the very same reason I called you here, but I'm afraid that will now have to wait. We have a much more urgent matter of which to attend. You see, three people rode in the Magitek suits, yes. But not three soldiers. In fact, I'm convinced one of them is not a citizen of the Empire at all."

Locke pressed his lips together tightly, already guessing what was coming. "This better not have anything to do with that Magitek-riding Imperial witch!"

"I'm afraid you've guessed it, old friend. I'm not sure if you're familiar with the term 'slave crown'. During my last visit to our little nook in the mountains, Banon was discussing them with a group of us. It seems it is a horrible device implemented to unwilling 'servants' of the Empire. It is reserved for only the most valuable prisoners. I saw it with my own eyes, Locke. I have the device here, hidden away. Gestahl knows something about her that we don't and we need to get to the bottom of this mystery."

"Don't think too hard about it. I can tell you exactly what it was. This girl was able to use the Magitek power with her hands. Once she got bored firing bolts of energy she decided to rain fire out of the sky just for a change of pace. I've heard rumors about other Imperials doing the same, but…to see it up close. It's frightening to think of this level of power in the hands of the Empire."

"Be that as it may, this girl, Terra, has done nothing wrong so far as we know. Yet the good Marshall and his brigand deputies pursue her with their usual murderous zeal. Time is of the essence. We must get her to safety."

Locke snorted, "And me without my shining armor."

"Once you have her, make your way to Figaro. She'll be safe there while I get word to Banon."

"Into the mines then?"

Arvis nodded. "Take my entrance. The guards went the long way around, so with any luck…"

Locke placed a hand on Arvis' chest. "Say no more! Locke Cole, treasure hunter extraordinaire, heroically leaps into the fray!"

"Always with the flashy showmanship," Arvis said.

Locke paused with one leg out the window and seemed to notice the general disarray of Arvis' belongings. "Hey, did you throw some kinda crazy party in here?" he asked.

"Locke..."

"Yeah?"

Arvis pointed toward the open window.

"Right. Girl! On it!" Locke stepped out onto the catwalk and headed toward the mines.

.o.O.o.

Locke entered the cave and flicked on a palm-size flashlight. He moved swiftly, but cautiously, listening for any sign of the guards or the girl. He had not gone very far before an unexpected odor sparked his interest. He poked one of the charred rats with his index finger.

"Still warm," he whispered to himself. "Looks like Lady Fire Fingers came this way all right. Just follow the trail of burnt corpses."

Further ahead he reached a gaping sink hole at a point where two intersecting paths converged. His gut told him there was something to it and being the well-traversed treasure hunter that he was, Locke always listened to his gut instincts. He lay on his stomach and held the light out as far as possible.

"Hello? Anybody home?" he called into the hole.

To his surprise, he was met with an interesting reply. A small red light glittered far below then vanished without a trace. It was all he needed to settle the matter. He was going down.

He hung his head and sighed. "Arvis better be right about her."

He sprang up from the hole and slung his tattered gray pack from his shoulder. After rummaging through it for a moment, he produced a length of rope. He tied one end to a sturdy outcropping of rock and gave a sharp tug to secure it. He found the knot was true and tossed the rest of it into the pit. Taking a firm hold of the rope, he swung out with the light in his mouth. He braced his feet on the side of the chasm and began to walk himself down. He quickly moved hand over hand until he came to the rope's end.

He looked down and the flashlight revealed the bottom of the cave where the girl lay on her side amidst the fallen rock. He saw a brief glimpse of some small white creatures who fled when the light discovered them. It appeared only a body length or two further to the ground and Locke opened his mouth allowing the light to fall.

"Look out below!" he called to no one in particular.

The light hit the floor quickly, and bounced several times before rolling to a stop, shining toward Terra's face. She didn't stir. Locke released the rope and landed in a crouch with a small splatter of water. Scooping up the flashlight, he surveyed the area. Six of the small creatures he had seen encircled him and the fallen girl. They stayed their distance, keeping a close eye on the newcomer.

Locke knelt down beside Terra and supported the flashlight between his neck and shoulder. He put two fingers to her neck. Satisfied that she still had a pulse, he looked over her body, inspecting it for any damage.

"She's alive. A little banged up, but nothing seems broken," he said aloud.

He noticed the ruby pendent around her neck and an evasive sparkle ran through the three stones.

"Ah, this must have been the flash I saw above. Let's take a closer look, shall we?" He started to unfasten the latch.

Terra stirred and a small moan escaped her lips.

Locke stopped. "Maybe later." He clasped the necklace shut. "You okay?" he gently patted the side of her face. "You took quite a fall."

She rolled away from him onto her back, but her eyes did not open.

"All right. Why don't you rest here a moment?" He stood and held his light down at the space in front of his feet. "Come on out, little moogles! It's okay. She's a…friend? We won't hurt you."

There was a brief silence before a little yellow sphere appeared in the darkness. The faint light of the glowing antenna intensified to reveal the moogle attached to it. The creature walked toward Locke. It was not much taller than a couple of feet and it walked on two legs. It boldly stepped into the beam from his flashlight.

"Were you trying to help her?" Locke asked.

It responded by making a friendly cooing kupo-like noise.

"I'm trying to help her too. So you and your pals can come on out now, okay? You've got nothing to fear from me."

The moogle peered thoughtfully up at Locke. It was covered in short, snow-white fur. Its face was rounded and had a red oval-shaped nose near the center. Furry vibrissa protruded from each plump cheek and from its head grew a thin cord holding up the lighted yellow ball. Its eyes were narrow and shaped in such a way that they appeared like downward curving smiles. It fluttered its little red wings, taking to the air and landing next to Terra. The creature lifted her green ponytail and seemed to look to Locke for answers.

"It's not every day a green-haired lady falls into your living room is it?" Locke asked.

Releasing the damp hair, the moogle waved its arm and chirped into the darkness. In response, several cooing sounds were heard and more of the spheres began to glow. Most of them were red and, counting the original moogle, there were eleven in all. The creatures moved forward to gather around Terra. Their antenna brightened and the darkness fled. Locke switched off his light. He examined them without speaking a word out of fear he might frighten them off. Some of the moogles wore belts at their waist that housed a small weapon and a pouch or two. One carried a miniature size morning star over its shoulder. Two of them stepped up on either side of Terra. They communicated with their cooing which caused their shaggy cheeks to ruffle.

"Kuku," the lead moogle chittered.

A pink-nosed one with a crystal ball pendant around its neck climbed up onto Terra's chest and removed a small flask from its belt. It opened her mouth with its hand and poured in the contents of the drink. This caused Terra to stir and turn her head. Some of the yellowish liquid ran down her cheek.

Locke knelt down next to the moogle. "You're trying to help her, aren't you? What is that? Some kind of moogle tonic?"

The creature glanced at him and made its kupo sound. More of the friendly animals approached and surrounded Terra. One by one they began to emit a soft purring song from deep within their small bodies. Locke marveled as the broken chunks of cave rock levitated from the floor. The unconscious girl's hair and limbs began to rise as though they were becoming weightless. The shallow trickle of water below her began to stir and long streams floated upward, caressing her body. The water cleared away the scrapes she had sustained from the fall and dissipated into the air. The moogles' harmonious coos softened and the rocks returned to the ground away from Terra as she became limp again against the damp floor.

"It's not every day you get to see real moogle magic," Locke said. "I'm sure she will feel much better now when she comes to."

The moogles seemed pleased and they chattered and cooed all around him.

"Tell you the truth guys, I think I'm a little turned around down here. If you could show us the way out, it would be a big help."

The moogles glanced at one another, seeming to consider Locke's words. The leader gave a resolute nod and seemed to be in agreement.

"We'll help too!" a voice said. "As long as you plan on taking her to a nice cold dungeon!"

Locke stopped and turned back toward the voice. He knew it all too well, the drunkard Marshall of Narshe. It was not the first time the two men had crossed paths.

"We meet again, thief." Julio grinned behind his trimmed black beard.

The moogles' glowing antennae flickered and grew dim one after the other and they retreated from sight. The torch carried by one of the Marshall's four escorts became their only source of light.

"Careful, Locke," Julio warned. "Men of Narshe don't go this deep into the mines unless there is no other choice. The monsters that had you surrounded are bloodthirsty and vicious. Best come with us back to the surface, we'll protect you."

"Monsters? These harmless little guys? I let it slide a moment ago when you called me a thief, but there no's no need to go insulting my new friends."

"Bah, inane prattle! Call these animals what you like, but stay out of our way. That woman is a fugitive and she's coming with us, like it or not."

"Trust me, I like that idea plenty. You may not have noticed in the confusion, but I was standing right there with you while she punched a hole through the middle of town. I've got no love for this Imperial, but word on the street is, Warren is offering a reward for her and I can't afford to share. You didn't really think I'd give up my claim that easily did you? Why don't you and your men go ahead and clear out? I'll hang back and hold off the man-eating moogles. See that the Mayor has my reward ready. The usual's fine of course, a few precious gems with some gil on top. That should make us just about square."

"I said she's coming with us!" Julio drew his sword. "If you saw what she did above, then you know the most important thing now is for justice to be done. If Warren feels you should be compensated for your part in that, so be it." The Marshall motioned for his men to advance. "Take her."

"I was afraid you'd say that." Locke drew the short scimitar from the scabbard on his pack, causing the guards to hesitate.

Julio was livid. "Last mistake," he growled.

Locke slipped a long dagger into his other hand as Julio advanced upon him. The Marshall's sword came down in a vicious swipe. It took intense skill to catch the swing between dagger and sword, but skill was something Locke had to spare when compared to the ill tempered Marshall. Locke pulled sharply downward while twisting his weapons and disarmed Julio with ease. The fallen sword stuck point first into the rocky ground. Julio's jaw dropped.

"Huh. That was a terrible opener." Locke gestured to the sword. "Want a do-over?"

Julio roared and pulled his blade free into an upward swipe. Locked deflected the clumsy blow and let it slide across his sword, guiding it away from his body. He put his boot into Julio's thigh and pushed him off balance.

"Hmm, I wonder if I cut your belt if your pants will fall around your ankles?" Locke mused.

"You are dead, thief! Dead!"

"Julio! Inside voices!" Locke warned. "You don't want to startle the-"

"Kupop!" a moogle voice chirped

Behind the Marshall, one of the small animals sprang from the darkness, snatching the torch from the guard who held it. The light was snuffed out leaving the human's blinded while their eyes adjusted. Julio swiped his sword protectively around himself.

"Whoops..." Locke chided.

The cave began to vibrate around them. The guards struggled to keep their balance and Locke knelt over the fallen girl shielding her with his body. Not a sound was heard. Julio listened intently, trying to discern just where the creatures were hiding in the dark. He gasped and recoiled as one of the moogle antenna shown forth a bright flash of light. The small creature flew over one of the other guards. The man cried out as it descended upon him and the light went out again. There was a brief shuffling and they could hear him collapse to the ground.

"No!" Another guard looked back with terror as a light appeared behind him.

A moogle's flail wrapped around his feet and he pitched forward. An unseen force drug him backward and the light vanished once more. Julio panicked, lurching away from the sight. The final guard turned to run, but found his escape cut off. He was blinded as three lights appeared at eye level. The man whimpered at the sight of three angry white faces. He felt himself lift from the ground. Moogle wings flapped as they carried him by his arms and the folds of his cloak. The light flickered out and his scream grew faint, drowned out by the sound of shifting rock. His sword clattered to the ground. The vibration ceased.

"Locke...I-I'm sorry," Julio shuddered. "Call them off. You're right, you should keep the girl..."

He recoiled and shielded his face with his arm as one of the antenna illuminated in front of him. Another appeared near it. One by one the lights reappeared until the cave was lit once more. Eleven moogles stood before Julio with not a trace of his men left behind.

"Keep those little monsters back!" he said, backing away and bumping into Locke.

"Here he goes again with the insults," Locke said.

The lead moogle lowered its gaze threateningly.

"I...I..." Julio stammered.

"Want to run away?" Locke offered.

Julio swallowed his pride. "Yes please," he replied meekly.

"Then go!" Locke commanded, pointing down the tunnel the Marshall had entered from.

As Julio moved forward, Locke's dagger cut through his belt, dropping his pants to his ankles leaving him standing in his white thermal leggings.

"I _knew_ it!" Locke shouted in victory.

The moogles chattered with mirthful jeers.

Julio pulled up his pants and stumbled awkwardly past the creatures as they parted to let him through. Once he felt he was a safe distance away he paused for a brief moment to look back.

"I'll go! But you'll regret this! I'll get my revenge on you and the witch!" He turned and continued his retreat. "So swears Julio!"

"Big talk for a guy running away with his pants in his hands!" Locke called after him.

He looked at the assembled group with a wide grin as each one put away their respective weapons. The head moogle lifted the unlit torch the guards of Narshe had carried and passed it off to Locke.

"Never know when I'll be needing this," Locke said stuffing it into his bag.

The moogle nodded in agreement and turned to his companions. "Cosmog, Mugmug," he said.

In response, a pair of them moved toward the cave wall and began to paw at it, clearing away some loose rocks that fell to the ground. Locke was intrigued and watched their actions closely. They uncovered a hidden switch on the wall, which they placed their small hands upon and leaned in to. There came a sound of churning metal and sliding stone as an inlaid section of the wall retracted upward revealing an opening.

"Hey you guys are all right," Locke said as he went to scoop up Terra's unconscious form.

He leaned over her, placing his legs under her body when the head moogle smacked him across the top of his head. He looked up in shock to find the creature glaring at him.

"Mog," it spoke, gesturing toward itself.

"Mog? Are you telling me your name? I'm Locke, pleased to meet ya." He reached out and shook the animals hand before lifting Terra from the ground. "It's time to get our green-haired damsel to safety."

Locke ducked as he passed under the uncovered passage and paused to look back at the assembled group. "Thanks moogles, we're in your debt."

The churning of metal and rock began anew as the wall lowered back into place. The moogle with the crystal pendant moved into view at Mog's side. She blew Locke a goodbye kiss and waved. Mog threw a sharp glance her way as the wall lowered, hiding the moogles from sight. There was a sound of unseen latches clicking back into place and Locke and Terra were alone.

.o.O.o.

A breeze drifted through the narrow passage of blue-gray rock. Locke looked up at the ceiling that was only a few feet over his head. Patches of moonlight shown through cracks revealing scattered cave grass and a path made of loose soil. Locke's breath was visible in the frigid air and he could hear the wind picking up outside. He was thankful for the rock walls to shield him from its touch.

He moved on for some time keeping an eye out for any sign that Terra might awaken. He was unsure of exactly what to expect of her, should she regain consciousness in his arms. At last her eyelids fluttered but did not open. She placed an arm around him for support, resting her head against him. She let out a soft sigh and her lips trembled. She whispered an unrecognizable word.

"Tritoch..."

"Hey, you with us now?" Locked asked, peering down at her. "You awake?"

Her eyes remained closed and she drew closer to his body.

"You're safe. Rest easy. I'll get us out of here."

For nearly a half hour Locke carried her without another word. The trail ventured neither left nor right, but lead straight on with no sign of change. The further he traveled the more sparse the cracks of moonlight became until there were none at all and he moved onward with little more than his sense of touch to guide him.

He noticed a dim glow ahead and was able to make out a wall blocking the path. Half a dozen beams of moonlight pierced the end of the cave through small holes no wider than his finger. He stopped just before them and lay Terra down carefully.

He ran his hands all along the wall, across the center, around its edges. Its smooth surface was rounded outward, but seemed completely solid.

"I hope this is another of those magic moogle passageways," he said.

He peered into one of the tiny holes. The rock wall was only a few inches thick and on the other side he could see snow covered tundra and the pale moon. The snowstorm had stopped and the night was silent and dark. He strained as he shoved against the wall. He rammed it with his shoulder and even tried lifting it, using the small holes as fingers grips, but it wouldn't budge. With frustration he kicked the rock straight on, but the force served only to make him stumble in the dark.

He suddenly felt foolish and looked around to make sure Terra had not been watching. Luckily, she was still unconscious. He reached into his pack and produced the torch and a piece of flint. He struck it a time or two and got a fire burning. He blinked his eyes to adjust to the bright flame. Just two feet off the ground at about the right height for moogles, a torch holder was attached to the rock. Locke slid it inside and inspected the holes in the wall once again.

To his left he noticed a narrow slit within a formation of rock protruding from the ground. He studied its shape a moment and ran his finger across the frosty surface. This hole was a little larger than the others. Perhaps it was large enough to...

He jerked back as he sensed sudden movement. A hand had taken hold of the scimitar that hung from his pack and withdrew it. He slowly turned his body as he stood. Terra held the sword out with both hands. The blade was only inches from his throat. It was the first time he had seen her eyes. Large, beautiful...fierce, emerald eyes. They were filled with rage.

"Now hold on, let's talk abooou-" He darted just out of the way as she thrust forward for a killing blow.

He rolled away putting some distance between the two of them and came up on his feet. His left hand went to rest at his dagger, but he did not draw it.

"There is nothing to talk about!" she shouted. "I already told your friends I don't want to hurt anyone!"

Locke jumped to the side, dodging another swipe of his own sword.

"Funny way of showing it!" he retorted.

Terra brought the sword back into an attack stance. She moved her feet carefully, beginning to circle, while keeping her eyes on his.

"I know what you think I am, but I'm not." She stressed her next words, "I-just-want-to-go."

"And I'm here to help you do that," Locke said turning his palms up to her. "Look around you. How do you think you got this far?"

She looked at him thoughtfully, but kept the sword between them.

"Look, Arvis sent me to-"

"Arvis?" She stopped with her back to the end of the cave.

"That's right. He told me you were not in control of your actions, that you didn't mean to hurt anyone. Was he wrong?"

She began to let her guard drop. "No, I...I mean- My head is pounding." She sucked in a breath and closed her eyes tightly. Her features tensed with pain.

Locke's voice was compassionate, "I know you've been through a lot...and I want to help you. So let's put away the sword and put some serious distance between you and this place. What do you say?"

Terra placed her palm upon her forehead and expelled a few ragged breaths before opening her eyes. She turned the sword downward. Spotting the narrow slit in the rock, she slid the blade into it and backed away.

"The sword is yours," she said. "Take it."

A loud scraping followed by a rapid clatter echoed through the cave all around and above them. The noise rumbled throughout the small path. In an instant the entire rear wall retracted into the ceiling. Nothing stood between them and the moonlit expanse of snow. In their confusion Locke and Terra shared a wordless glance.

.o.O.o.

Authors Note:

Lots of love and hard work goes into this story, so if you enjoyed it please leave a review. All opinions/thoughts/critiques are welcome, good or bad!

We are in need of editing! If anyone would like to volunteer to edit any of these chapters, please let us know!


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**Castle Figaro**

Even before Emperor Gestahl had begun his search for the world's greatest scholars, scientists, and engineers, the late King Sabhan Edward Figaro was already becoming known as the king of the Technological Revolution. First by way of upgrades to the gear his soldiers carried and ultimately through mechanizing the walls of the castle he called home. Castle Figaro was built to be the center of his kingdom and the legacy he would leave behind to his twin sons.

Edgar Roni Figaro, the first born twin, inherited the crown at the young age of seventeen. Before the golden circlet was placed upon his head, his brother Sabin Rene Figaro decided to leave the kingdom to pursue his own path. Concerning the delicate matter of two heirs with equal rights to the throne of Figaro, Sabin's sudden absence cast the newly crowned King Edgar under a great deal of scrutiny. Rumors of treachery and murder spread throughout the kingdom and those who would see King Edgar removed began to grow in boldness and in number. Some city leaders talked of succession behind closed doors.

Soon Emperor Gestahl journeyed to Castle Figaro offering friendship and council to the young King. Gestahl took Edgar under wing and became his trusted friend. The wise Emperor from the south advised Edgar to hold an open session of the court of Figaro to address the entire Kingdom. All were welcome to appear.

When the day came, the Emperor and the King stood together before much of Figaro's upper class citizenry, including Chancellor D'vann, and the late High Priestess Veena. Also present were representatives from South Figaro, Kohlingen, Zozo, and Jidoor. At this assembly, King Edgar addressed his brother's decision to leave the kingdom. He told them of Sabin's wish to escape the grief of their Father's death and start a new life away from the responsibility of his birthright. Edgar explained to them that he and his brother parted on good terms and that Sabin was very much loved and would always be welcome to return. Gestahl vouched for every word that was spoken and offered his blessing upon King Edgar and all the lands of Figaro. The Emperor assured the people that the new king was as noble and wise as his father before him.

King Edgar announced he would be forming an alliance with the Empire and through it, Figaro would be ushered into a new age of prosperity. The court burst forth into cheers of thunderous approval and the throne of Figaro was secured. As a decade passed, Edgar remained in contact with Emperor Gestahl and as promised Figaro grew in wealth and influence even more so than it had under the rein of King Sabhan.

Leaving behind the reputation of a murderer, King Edgar was able create for himself a new and well earned reputation. He became known as much for his kindness and generosity as he was for his extravagance, arrogance, self indulgence, and showering his affection upon many beautiful women. He likewise became known as a charming and well-versed ladies' man...or a philanderer, depending upon whom you were asking.

.o.O.o.

King Edgar looked up at the gate built into the ceiling of slate gray stone. He waved over the soldier standing guard.

"At once my king," the soldier replied.

The man unlatched a rounded black object from his belt and at the push of a button it produced a key. He unlocked a panel upon the wall and opened it, pulling the switch inside. With a metallic click from above, the gate lowered to the ground by way of an attached black column. King Edgar stepped onto it and pulled his long blue cape around his body before the soldier sent it up again.

At the next floor an auburn haired woman awaited him in a round room of large turning gears and humming machinery. She nodded to her king.

"My Liege," she said, just above the noise of the room.

"Captain," Edgar gave a warm reply. "So is this prisoner thing for real or should I have brought a bottle of champagne?" An apologetic twitch passed through the corner of his mouth.

The woman let a smile break as well. "It's for real I'm afraid. He insists he will speak only with you personally. He claims he has information vital to the safety of the kingdom."

Edgar rolled his eyes and let out an exaggerated sigh. "A king's work is never done. Let's go get it over with."

The Captain nodded in the direction of a ramp that spiraled up around the tower walls. Silently, King Edgar followed her to the highest point in the tower. As the ramp leveled off into another round room they could hear the spinning blades of a massive turbine inside. On a small table were four short blades and a sleek black mask made in the image of a wolf. A decorative swirl of red and gold adorned the forehead and flickered out, circling the transparent red eye-lenses. The king examined the mask with a solemn expression as the woman unlocked the final iron gate. Moonlight and shadow danced along the walls and floor through the turbine blades spinning above.

A man in black waited with his back against a pillar. His arms were stretched behind him by way of a taut rope. His black sleeves ended in long ribbons of fabric that spilled over his hands hanging down a foot and a half. His almost shoulder length black hair hung over his face concealing it from view as he leaned forward.

"Lone Wolf," King Edgar said knowingly.

The man did not stir, but after a brief pause he spoke. "That is merely my working name, my King." His voice was low, steady and calm. His tone did not acknowledge his situation.

"If you prefer I use your Figorian name, then by all means-"

"Lone Wolf will suffice I think."

"Very well. Lone Wolf, how can your King assist you?"

Lone Wolf flipped his hair back behind his head and made eye contact with the blond king. The captured man's face was young and smooth save for a small scar that ran down from the right side of his bottom lip.

"This low life was captured in S. Figaro my King," the Captain said. "He was carrying a fortune of stolen Twin Coins and attempting to barter his way onto an ocean liner. Their value brought him undue attention. Ironically enough, while trying to fight off a group of three purse snatchers he spilled his own bag dumping the gil and his mask onto the dock. The soldiers posted there-"

"Enough of this useless chatter," Lone Wolf cut her off. "The matter of importance to our King is not the content of my purse, but the reason for my attempted bon voyage."

The King nodded his head offering the man to continue.

"I've heard whispers, as those in my line of work often do. I know things that are not meant to be known. I was fleeing South Figaro for my safety. As should anyone there who does not favor Imperial control."

"What's the meaning of this?" The King's voice was beginning to turn angry.

"As I said, the Empire. I know this will be difficult to hear. I know the Emperor has been an ally to the kingdom, but I offer you a trade. A full pardon to me, the return of my treasure, and transportation away from this place in exchange for an exact date of attack. I can even tell you the name of the officer in charge of the operation. I will tell you all I know." Lone Wolf lowered his eyes and bowed his head once more. "My King..."

King Edgar smirked and snorted. He started with a chuckle and went into a full blown laugh. Lone Wolf lifted his gaze and an eyebrow at the King.

With a few more chuckles, King Figaro paused and took in a breath. His smile faded and his voice turned serious. "Consider the source, pickpocket. You expect me to take you at your word and loose you once more to pillage my kingdom? No. You will rot in this tower."

"On my life I swear every word is the truth!" Lone Wolf shouted. "You would be a fool to ignore this!"

The red leather glove of the Captain's fist found purchase across Lone Wolf's jaw. His face recoiled and he glared at her through his hair, breathing fiercely.

The Captain put her gloved finger between her teeth and slid her hand out of it. "Choose your next words more carefully," she warned.

"I trust you're familiar with the phrase, 'He lies like a dog'?" King Edgar asked.

"I am a _wolf_!" Lone Wolf said with vehement defiance.

"I'd wager your Imperial attack is a farce you dreamed up while my men escorted you here. I'll leave robbing old women of their coin to you...and you leave the Empire and running this kingdom to me." The King turned his back and walked out of the cell.

"I know what you are," Lone Wolf whispered. "You're one of them, the Returners. A sympathizer. You've betrayed Gestahl and he's coming to collect. You're a coward! You'll flee and leave your kingdom in ruin!"

The Captain turned questioning eyes upon her king.

"Muzzle this...wolf," Edgar commanded.

The Captain produced a wadded white cloth from her pocket and gripped Lone Wolf's face.

"Yes, I can see you fear my words," Lone Wolf said. "You should fear more the Empi-"

The Captain stuffed the rag into his mouth. She covered his lips with her hand so he could not spit it out. She lowered to her knees to look up at him.

"Bad doggie, stay," she scolded. Her free hand wrapped a rope twice around the cloth and she knotted it in the back. "Sh sh sh sh, shh," she told him.

"Relieve your men of their posts," King Edgar ordered. "No one is to enter this tower but you personally."

With a pat of her prisoner's cheek, the Captain slipped back into her glove. "You be good while I'm away." She placed a mocking finger to her lips as she walked out backward, joining her King outside the cell.

"Whatever he thinks he knows, he'll be twice as sure of it now," she said, looking Edgar in the eyes.

"Let him think what he will. The Emperor has been my friend since I was a child. I trust him."

The King closed the iron gate and looked in upon the prisoner. "Don't worry," he spoke in a pleasant tone. "You have my word, you will not be abused. In an hour or two you'll be fed and moved to a more accommodating cell. I'm just going to give you some time to think about keeping your wagging tongue still. Consider yourself a lucky wolf. Personally I'd pay top dollar to be Captain Allyandra's plaything," he chuckled wryly.

Edgar started down the ramp followed by his Captain of security.

"My Liege?" she asked, once they were out of earshot. "Forgive me for questioning you, but what if this attack is real?"

He stopped in his tracks and hesitantly turned in her direction. "Of course it's real. I've bought us all the time I can with the Emperor, but he's asking too many questions about the soldiers we were forced to remove. Very soon one of us will be forced to put a stop to this sham of an alliance. Every step I have taken since my coronation has been to ensure Figaro's survival. I believe the time is coming when we must look outside our walls for answers..."

.o.O.o.

Terra crossed her arms placing one hand on each shoulder in an effort to keep warm. Locke turned up the collar of his jacket and looked to her with a friendly grin.

"Hey, nice work." He offered a handshake. " We can get outta here now."

Terra looked at his hand and back up at his eyes. His unkempt sandy blonde hair spilled over the top of his bandana onto his forehead and blew lightly in the chill air. His eyes were brown, friendly and full of life. There was something about the man that she found oddly comforting despite her best efforts to mistrust him. She felt a strange hint of familiarity as though he were a recent memory that had slipped just out of her grasp. She took a moment to linger on every detail, anything that might give her a bit of insight.

He wore an unfastened black jacket with dark blue trim that stopped short of reaching his waist. His shirt was white with a black pattern streaking diagonally across signifying an animal hide design. A small golden hoop earring adorned his left ear. Around his neck was a thread of various colored stones and lock picks, strung like beads. His form fitting black pants hung over a pair of worn boots and a gray pack was strapped around his shoulder by its one remaining strap.

With a certain caution Terra extended her hand and then placed it into his.

"Do I...know you?" Her voice was filled with uncertainly.

"I'm the guy you shot lightning at!" Locke said cheerfully.

"Lightning?"

"Well, and a little bit of fire too."

Terra withdrew her hand. "Oh. I'm-" she took a long pause struggling for the memory. "I'm sorry..."

"No big deal," Locke waved it off. "People shoot at me more often than you'd think. Not usually...out of their...hands, but you weren't in control of your actions, right? How could I hold that against you? And in all fairness, I _did_ throw a knife at your head. But no biggie, I'm not upset with you anymore." He paused. "Friends?"

She folded her arms and walked away from him to the cave wall. She closed her eyes and lowered her head.

"Whu-oh, did I say something wrong?" Locke asked.

She leaned against the wall on her shoulder and was silent for a long moment before speaking. "I don't know. I don't even know how I got here. I don't know what to do-where to go...? I have a terrible headache and thinking makes it worse. Makes me remember...terrible things. You should have left me with the guards. I remember what they said to me. They said, I killed-" She stopped, unwilling to finish her sentence, "I deserve whatever's coming to me."

Locke leaned into the wall in front of her. Terra's eyes stayed on the floor.

"Hey. Whatever they made you do, it was them. The Empire." He lifted her chin with a curled finger and she met his eyes. "You were not in control of your actions. You don't deserve anything except to get out of here, all right? To find a place where no one will use you anymore." He lay his hand on her shoulder. "Look, I don't know you, but I know what they did to you isn't right. And I _promise_," he stressed the word, "I won't leave your side until your memory returns."

She kept her wide eyes locked with his. The tears building up threatened to spill over onto her face and she was stunned to silence. This mad world of fighting and running that she had awakened to was the only one that she knew. She felt completely lost, with no understanding of where she had come from, nor what she should do next. In her moment of great turmoil the only glimpse of hope presented itself was the promise of a stranger. With all her heart she wanted to believe him. She had to believe him. Somehow she knew, he would remain true to his word.

Terra almost leapt forward at Locke. She wrapped her arms around his neck and lay her head on his shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Whoa-" Locke lost his balance for a instant. He held his hands at his side and then let them rest on her back. "You're welcome," he said.

She released him and wiped her face. "I don't know what to say."

"Thank you was enough. But, before we get moving, you owe me something."

She looked at him evenly, and felt suddenly defensive. "What do you mean?"

"Your name. You can remember your name right?"

"Terra," she said simply.

He smiled at her in a charmingly boyish manner. "Locke Cole, World's Greatest treasure hunter. And now with proper introductions out of the way, what do you say we get out of here before it starts snowing again?"

She forced a slight grin and nodded.

Locke drew his sword from the rock with his left hand, and placing his arm around Terra's waist they quickly ran out into the deep snow. The wall crashed back into place sealing off the cave behind them.

.o.O.o.

The pale light of a full moon washed over the mountainous slope that lead down from Narshe. The white landscape was quiet and devoid of motion. Many of the sentry towers were unmanned and their search lights were burning out. After the unexpected attack, most of the guards were recalled to aid with the massive clean-up effort in town. Narshe's citizens would not sleep this night. The injured and deceased alike were taken away on stretchers. Men sorted through the rubble tossing planks and other scraps onto carts pulled by the woolly vomammoths.

No one even glanced in his direction as Locke switched on one of the unmanned SnoTreds; the white motorized vehicles the guards use to travel outside of town.

The rear tire tread began to spin and its two front skis glided over the top of the snow. A guard's shield was still strapped to the back of the machine.

Locke stopped a short distance outside of the city where Terra waited, crouching behind a cluster of snow covered pine trees. She climbed onto the second seat behind Locke and they were on the move again. Terra wrapped one of the guard cloaks around her chest like a blanket as they sped into the night. A cloud of white dust was thrown into the air behind them.

.o.O.o.

In front of a small shop, wolves waited patiently as they were being latched up to a snow sled. The morning sun was bright and glistened across the snowy slopes. The animals began to stir and bark as a humming sound neared them. A guard who sat mounted upon a large yellow bird watched as a SnoTred sped by without slowing. The Tred was manned only by one rider in a blue bandanna and green goggles. The driver waved pleasantly to the guard and slipped from sight into a forest of scattered pine.

Locke turned back to the white cloak that covered an unusual load of cargo in the seat behind him. He patted Terra's back and she rose up in her seat. Her lower face was hidden by a white cloth mask. She pulled back the hood and her ponytail blew wildly in the wind.

"All clear!" Locke shouted.

Terra looked up at the towering trees and observed the beautiful scenery around them. Even though it was a relief to be leaving, she couldn't help but appreciate the picturesque mountain slopes in the sunlight.

"Won't be long now," Locke spoke over the sound of the motor. "We're in route to Figaro Castle. I have a buddy who can put you up for as long as you like. You'll be completely safe there."

Terra's mind was elsewhere. Her hands were up to her chest, one of them absentmindedly caressed the center jewel of her pendant. Locke glanced back at her when she didn't respond. Finding her lost in thought he turned back to his steering.

Terra's free hand pulled down the snow mask from her rosy cheeks. She tilted her head back and let the wind streak across her face. She closed her eyes, sealing out the sunlight. She focused on the red glow of the inside of her eyelids and for the moment the aching in her head began to clear.

.o.O.o.

Locke cut the motor of the Tred and Terra woke abruptly to the silence. They had come to a halt at a juncture where the snow began to thin out and give way to bare rock. She rubbed her face and eyes as Locke hung his goggles from the handlebar of the vehicle and got off.

The mountain slope continued on in front of them into an area where the pine trees became dense and grassy foliage covered the ground. Birds could be heard singing in the distance and a small leafer rabbit who had remained frozen at the sight of them suddenly startled and scampered away, hopping over a hollow log.

Locke walked to the side of the trail where there was an abrupt drop off. It was a sloping cliff about twelve feet long. Below it, the mountain gave way to gold desert sand that stretched on until it met the blue sky in the distance forming a hazy horizon.

"Figaro Desert," Locke informed Terra.

Wordlessly Terra unfastened the two straps across her chest that held her leather armor and spaulders in place. Locke watched as she revealed her mid-drift top and the fair skin of her stomach and arms. She lay the armor up against the SnoTred. She placed the white cloak over her shoulders and clasped it in place. She started toward Locke.

Locke stopped her. "Actually if you don't mind...could you uh..." he put his palms together and mimicked a fireball launching motion. "We don't want to leave a trail for anyone to follow."

Terra frowned and turned back toward the Tred. She began to breathe deeply and shut her eyes. Immediately, warm air circled her body. Locke saw dust and scattered blades of grass stir around her boots. She extended her right arm, palm forward

"Fire!" she commanded.

A swirling cone of flame spiraled forth from her hand with the sound of searing energy. It paused briefly before her palm, suspended in air. She looked back to Locke and extended her fingers releasing the blaze. They ran to the edge of the cliff as the magical blast impacted with the vehicle's fuel tank. They leapt over the side and the explosion blasted by over head.

They held their balance and slid down the rest of the way on their feet. A few loose stones followed them into the sand. The guard's shield landed before them, spinning slightly on its face. Its leather grip smoldered.

"Okay. That'll do," Locke said, clearly impressed.

Terra met his eyes as she pulled her hood up over her head.

"After you then." Locke gestured over the sandy plain

.o.O.o.

Hours later Locke took a long drink from his water skin. He offered it to Terra, who waved it off. They kept their heads down and their eyes narrowed, the sandstorm was quickly becoming unbearable. Terra held the clasp of her cloak with one hand while steadying its hood with the other. Relentless gusts of sand-filled wind spiraled into them.

"I think I'm going to have sand in my underwear for weeks!" Locke shouted to make himself heard.

The sun beamed down on them from directly overhead. Their clothes were sticky with sweat. Locke forced himself to look up into the horizon attempting to see their destination. He could see nothing but sand in any direction. They continued on blindly, trusting his sense of direction to guide them. Fortunately, the sandstorm died down after awhile, giving way to the calm blue sky overhead. This of course did nothing to protect them from the harsh sun at their backs.

The desert stretched on with no end in sight. It was full of brown rock, sloping valleys, and piles of warm sand dunes. Terra had lost count of how many hours they had been on the move. She began to wonder when they would ever arrive when Locke tapped her on the arm several times. He signaled for her to stop.

In the distance loomed a blurry grayish shape reminiscent of a fortress. A glint of sunlight reflected on top of the structure giving them the impression someone was watching them through a glass lens.

"Look, they've spotted us!" Locke said. "They'll come to get us. Worst part's over now."

True to his word it wasn't long before they could hear swift footsteps running across the surface of the sand. A moment later Terra began to make out three men approaching. Each one was mounted upon a large trotting animal. Terra recognized them as chocobos; a flightless bird, suited for riding.

The array of tail feathers on the noble mounts swayed back and forth with each long stride. Their wings were tucked in and folded at their sides, their long necks were forward with their heads lowered for swifter acceleration in the windy climate.

As the men drew nearer to Locke and Terra, they pulled back at the reins and the birds slowed to a brisk walk before coming to a halt. The man in the center strode past his comrades. His tinted black goggles reflected the image of the dessert sand.

"Good morning from the Kingdom of Figaro." He gave them a slight bow."If the idea of further travel finds you disagreeable, we would offer to escort you the rest of the way to the castle."

Terra nodded. "It would be much appreciated."

"Our saddles are open to you." The man reached a hand out to her.

As Terra moved forward the chocobo lowered its head with a pleasant 'wark' greeting from its rounded beak. A single laugh escaped Terra's lips and she smiled nuzzling her cheek against the side of its face. The soldier thumped it lightly on the head and the bird at once straightened up.

"You will have to excuse Freedom, here. He is young and we are still breaking him in."

"No worries," Locke said, as he seated himself behind one of the other soldiers. "The only complaint we have now is our empty stomachs."

The guard lifted the goggles from his face and onto the brim of his red helmet. "Of course, Locke. Glad as always to receive you. We got word that you might be headed this direction, but we have to be careful lately. Some goings on down in S. Figaro have left things tense. But I will allow His Majesty, the King to fill you in further."

Terra glanced quizzically at Locke as the soldier helped her climb onto his mount behind him.

The guard continued, "Don't be offended, but I think it's best we use the service entrance for the time being."

"Understood," Locke answered.

With a flick of the reins the soldiers rode toward the castle.

The castle was an impressive sight in the dessert. Its base alone might have taken up over half of Narshe. It was built of smooth gray stone and appeared ancient. Sand filled each crack and rested within every battlement. Figaro was built in three sections with the main structure at its center and an immense stone tower on either side. The towers were squared and perfectly straight all the way to the top where they branched into four smaller rounded towers, one at each corner. These massive additions were connected to the center building by a thick stone walkway far above the ground. From Terra's vantage point she could see a chocobo pulled chariot crossing the one on the right.

The soldiers passed between a row of smaller cylinder structures separate from the front of the castle. They were built right into the sand and each one stood alone. Terra could see four of them and they appeared as though they circled the entire castle with a long gap in between each one. She could hear loud turbines spinning at their peaks.

The gate of the castle was open with stone stairs leading up to it. On every other step stood a soldier carrying a spear, eleven men on each side. Terra and Locke's escort did not enter by that direction, but rode instead toward the side of the building. Flags sailed proudly over each edifice, displaying the same symbol that was draped over the sides of the saddled chocobos upon which they rode. The symbol was the Royal Crest of Figaro: Four blue triangles with golden trim, each one with their inner most point touching the rim of a blue circle. Their flat end rested against the edges of the squared red flags.

At the side of the castle the chocobos rode up a hollow wooden ramp and entered a large stable before coming to a halt. A man in a regal green vestment and cape was waiting there to greet them. Locke leapt from the back of his chocobo and as he went to help Terra down the man was already speaking to them.

"Locke, you've arrived at last! Your contact in Narshe informed us of everything by short wave transmitter! Chased by guards? Wondering about in that awful snow! I feared for your lives!"

"Chancellor, you know me better than that. A good treasure hunter always has a plan."

Locke took Terra's waist in his hands and gently let her feet touch the ground. She listened to the exchange carefully, not knowing quite what to make of any of this.

"King Edgar of course, requests your presence immediately," the Chancellor continued.

Locke shot Terra a knowing grin. "Surprised someone like me knows a king?"

"I suppose for awhile everything will surprise me," she replied thoughtfully.

Locke unfastened the cloak of Narshe from her shoulders and tossed it over one of the chocobo stalls.

"I don't think you'll be needing that in here," he told her.

The Chancellor cleared his throat. "I know you both must be weary from your journey and there will be suitable time for food and rest very soon. For now I must ask you to accompany me. I think it prudent we remove ourselves from prying eyes and speak nothing more of what has transpired until we are alone."

The Chancellor led them out of the stables and through the soldier's corridors, down long hallways made of the same stone of the castle's exterior. They could see guards coming and going as they prepared for their daily assignments. Several were suiting up in their green cloth uniforms and strapping on red gauntlets and boots. Terra noticed a group of soldiers on wooden benches having a light breakfast as they were briefed about some assignment she didn't catch much of.

The Chancellor paused at the entrance to an empty barracks and took an unattended helmet from a shelf. It was made of smooth red armor with protective plates upon its sides and brow. A covering of green linen hung from the edges to help filter out the sun.

"Forgive me my dear," the Chancellor said, "but I do think it best we cover that unmistakable hair of yours. Since I've no head dress suited for a lady of the court, at present a soldier's petard must suffice." He held the helmet out to her. "Would you not agree, Locke?"

Locke nodded to Terra. "Your hair kinda stands out in a crowd, doesn't it?"

Terra bowed her head and the Chancellor slid the helmet in place.

"Perfect!" he exclaimed. "Much less recognizable now." He pulled the black goggles down over her eyes. "Come, the king is expecting you!"

.o.O.o.

Authors Note:

Lots of love and hard work goes into this story, so if you enjoyed it please leave a review. All opinions/thoughts/critiques are welcome, good or bad!

We are in need of editing! If anyone would like to volunteer to edit any of these chapters, please let us know!


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**The King's Favor**

"Thank you, thank you, ladies," King Edgar said, finishing the milk from his crystal goblet and setting it back on the cart before his throne. "Breakfast was perfect. Absolutely perfect."

"Anything else, my King?" one of the two serving girls asked him.

"No, no, please. I couldn't eat another bite. Thank you." King Edgar cleaned his hands with a folded cloth and dropped it onto his tray.

With a smile and a curtsy, the girls wheeled their cart across the majestic throne room's pearly white floor, past the rows of candelabras and down the long red carpet. The massive golden-trimmed double doors were left open just enough to allow them through. They were forced to pause a moment as a man in a black jacket and a woman wearing a soldier's helm entered the room.

Locke and Terra stepped to the side allowing the women to pass. One of them arched an inquisitive eye brow at Terra as they left. The Chancellor closed the door from the outside, leaving the fugitive mage and the treasure hunter to face the king. The King lowered a thoughtful hand from his face as his ocean-blue eyes took in the sight of the pair. His long golden hair was pulled back, though a strand or two still managed to float down over his forehead. The King appeared youthful and handsome. His flawless good looks were sometimes unnerving to those who were susceptible to his flattering words.

His attire was as grandiose as his throne room: He wore a high collared blue breastplate accented with golden etchings upon the pauldrons and ribs. A long cape of a darker blue rested behind him with a white sash covering his waist. He stood tall with his back straight and perfectly poised, striding forward with the grace one would expect of a king, but with the welcoming smile of a true friend.

King Edgar's eyes studied the black lenses that hid Terra's eyes from view and he singled in on her. As he approached, she began to drop to one knee but he gently took hold of her arm and waist stopping her short.

"Please don't," he said. "You'll only embarrass me." He turned to Locke with a smile and offered him a firm hand shake, placing his free hand on top. "It's good to have you back in one piece, old friend. Still one step ahead of the proper authorities I see."

"Always," Locke agreed.

"And this is the girl you rescued in Narshe?" The king turned to Terra. "So you're an Imperial soldier? No problem. Figaro and the Empire are allies. Everything's taken care of. You may stay as long as you like. And please...relax while you're here. It isn't in my blood to harm a lady."

"That is very gracious of you," Terra said. "It will only be for a little while. I just need some time to...sort...things out..." Her words started to trail off as she saw the distraction in the King's face. He didn't seem to be listening to a word she said.

Edgar pursed his lips as he reached up for her goggles. He pulled them up to reveal her stunning emerald eyes.

"Ah ha," he said in revelation. "Magnificent." He lifted the entire helmet from her head.

This caused much of Terra's hair to come loose from its ponytail and she pulled the rest free allowing it to cascade down the sides of her face. The briefest of quizzical glances passed through the King's features as he noticed the unique color.

"No disguise will be required," he told her. "You are a free woman here. In my kingdom beauty is never hidden away, but must be seen by all. It's the right thing to do." He tossed the helmet to Locke without removing his gaze from Terra. "But where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Edgar, King of Figaro." He took her hand in his. "And your...humble servant, my lady." His face lowered to her hand and placed a delicate kiss upon the tips of her fingers.

"Terra," she said.

He flashed her a charming smile, keeping their eyes locked.

Locke cleared his throat.

"Food!" Edgar shouted. "Of course you must both be starving! Locke, you're with me. Terra, Matron will be here shortly to make sure you are given anything you could desire. A hearty breakfast, a change of clothes, and I know you must be dying for a shower after all the time you've spent on the road. Your smallest need shall not go overlooked. Unfortunately, I must leave your company before the day gets away from me. Sometimes I hate being King."

"Terra, Edgar and I are just going to catch up while you rest a bit. Will you be alright here for a while?" Locke asked.

"I'm fine," she said. "You go ahead."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Locke asked with concern.

"Mhm." Terra nodded. "This is a nice place. Perhaps I'll have a look around."

"Great, we'll see you tonight at dinner," Edgar concluded.

Locke kept his eyes on her.

"Go, I'll be fine," she assured him.

"Until we meet again, Terra." Edgar reopened one of the chamber doors and passed through it out of sight.

Locke hesitated in the doorway, studying Terra.

"I'll see you at dinner," she told him.

"Count on it," Locke said. He left the room without bothering to close the door behind him.

Terra let out a long sigh and ran her fingers through her sand-filled hair. She caught her reflection in the ceiling. Crystal chandeliers hung from chains on the mirrored surface some fifty feet above. It reflected everything in the room. Her stomach growled as she noticed what a mess she was from the road. She shut her weary eyes and placed a hand over them.

"All set, dear?" a female voice called to her.

Terra looked across the room where a woman more than twice her age waited in a doorway veiled by a red curtain.

"Well come along then," the woman beckoned. "Let's get you all cleaned up and into some fresh clothing."

Terra moved toward her without a word.

"This is King Edgar's private entrance to the castle spa," the woman explained. "At his request, all the luxuries we have to offer are available to you."

The doorway led them into the reception room of the lobby. It was a well lit room with painted white walls and a thick carpet underfoot. The woman smiled at Terra as she locked the private entrance behind them. They passed the reception desk where Terra saw a blonde girl in a white blouse and blue skirt handing a stack of towels to one of the other guests.

The woman led Terra down a short hallway where people were lounging in hot tubs and saunas. After a couple of hallways they passed through an opaque green veil into a larger room. Inside were walls of stone and a floor of smooth black marble. A slow burning candle sat on a shelf creating a relaxing glow. Three horizontal green rugs lead to the center of the room where steps lowered to an in-ground pool filled with clear water. The gentle sound of flowing liquid came from each of the fountain statues that faced the pool. The left most statue was a small dragon-like wyvern, the center was an exocite crustacean, and on the right was a shell dwelling squid creature known as a nautiloid. A steady arch of water poured from its small beak into the pool.

Terra smiled. "It's beautiful," she said.

"I'm glad you like it. This is the King's private room. Today it is reserved for you for as long as you should like."

The woman turned on a decorative golden record player and a soft chorus of harp music began to play. The soothing tune reminded Terra of twinkling crystals.

"Just leave your clothing upon the bench over there and you'll find a good selection of soaps and scented oils in the chest beside it. Also, if you'd like, we have many accomplished hair stylists here. After you've finished soaking, perhaps a little trim or a new color? A lovely blonde would be well suited to your complexion I think."

"Oh." The offer seemed to catch Terra off guard. Instinctively she reached across her chest and touched her hair. She pulled a strand out so she could see the color. "No," she said. "No I think a good soak is exactly what I need right now. Let's see to my hair another time." She looked back to the woman.

"Very well. Of course. Take all the time you wish and I will send one of the girls to check on you in a bit. If you should require anything else, just ask for Matron and someone will come and find me."

.o.O.o.

The running water from the nautiloid statue washed through Terra's hair as she rolled her neck, allowing the last of the shampoo to rinse away. She pushed the wet hair from her brow and pulled it behind her body once more running her hands down it. She had been soaking in the pool for nearly an hour and was starting to feel immensely better.

Much of what had happened at Narshe was beginning to feel distant. Remembering the guards and the cave felt more like watching someone else's life rather than her own and even that was starting to fade. The only things that felt real to her were the kindness of Locke and Edgar and the relaxation of the warm water that wrapped around her slender body.

Her future seemed uncertain. She didn't know what to expect from her life in the coming days or weeks or even in the next few moments, but for the time being she pushed such concerns from her mind. She reminded herself, no amount of fret would make her memories return faster or help her understand anything that had happened to her.

She lay back and floated to the center of the pool. The water enveloped her ears and much of her head. The thought struck her that she couldn't remember when she had eaten last. She wondered what type of food she normally enjoyed. Terra supposed that she would have to re-discover her world and in time things would come to make sense.

Her eyes darted to the right. She heard someone else in the room with her. Her head raised from the water to see the woman that had stood behind the reception desk. The woman was gathering what was left of Terra's Imperial uniform from the bench at the water's edge. Terra lay her hands upon her shoulders covering her breasts with her arms. Her wet hair fell upon her hands and wrists. She put her back toward the woman and turned her head toward her.

"May I help you?" Terra asked.

The woman scooped up the last of Terra's belongings. "Matron asks that I take your things to be cleaned. She is selecting some new clothing for you to wear when you're finished. In the meantime is there anything I can get you for? Perhaps some wine or some fruit?"

"Both please," Terra replied. "I'm starving."

"Right away," the courteous woman smiled.

As Terra reached for the lavender towel at the pool's edge, she heard something fall against the hard floor. She whirled around. An item had slid from the woman's arms.

"My pendant," Terra said laying her eyes on it.

The woman bent down to pick it up with her fingers, while attempting to balance the boots and other clothing in her arms. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to drop your necklace." She looked up apologetically. "I'll have it cleaned for you!"

"Leave it," Terra said flatly. "Don't touch it."

"Oh." The woman was taken aback. "I'm so sorry." She made an apologetic face. "Will there be anything else?"

Terra shook her head no, moving her gaze from the golden chain and finally up to the woman's eyes. "No. Nothing else."

The woman forced a quick smile, bowed to Terra and exited through the veil that covered the doorway. Terra was up the steps in an instant. Without drying herself she wrapped the towel around her body and moved around the pool to her pendant. She knelt down and gazed into the red ruby at its center. She could see her blurred reflection within. There was something about it, something that made her feel connected to it. Slowly she extended her fingers to touch the center jewel...

"Well?" King Edgar's pleasant voice startled her. "How do you like my castle?"

The curtain was pushed halfway open and there he leaned against the doorway with a wide smile on his face and a long white clothing bag draped over his shoulder.

Without straightening up, Terra looked sideways through her hair as it draped over her face. "Don't you know how to knock?" She asked.

"I tried." Edgar clenched his jaw and sucked in an apologetic breath. "No door." He walked into the room and held out the long garment bag. "I brought you something. Perhaps it will help to make up for my bold entrance. It is an original design straight from Jidoor. It's an Amano," he said knowingly.

Terra stood and looked briefly at the bag on the hanger. She fastened the clasp of her pendant around her neck. "I'm sorry I," she paused. "I don't-"

"Of course," Edgar looked sheepish. "Of course. You wouldn't remember a silly thing like a famous fashion designer, would you? How terribly impish of me. Nonetheless, it is beautiful, and it's yours. I thought you might try it on and allow me to take you to lunch. There's a cafe here in the spa. They'll make you whatever your heart desires. You must be famished after all you've been through. Not to mention in need of some company."

Terra opened her mouth to form words, but they seemed to escape her. She only looked at him with an unreadable expression upon her face.

"Forgive me for intruding. If you do decide you're hungry, it's just around the corner. Take your second right. I'll be waiting."

Edgar hung the ensemble on the wall and started out of the room. He took the curtain in his hand to slide it across the opening once more.

"King Edgar?"

"Just Edgar, will be fine, my lady."

"Edgar," she repeated. "Thank you."

The King nodded to her with a pleasant grin and the curtain closed.

.o.O.o.

Terra blew on her red fingernail polish as the blonde servant woman pulled her hair back into its customary ponytail. She clipped Terra's hair in place using a golden pendant with a red stone. Her long green bangs adorned both sides of her face.

Terra sat upon a high stool in the cheerfully lit dressing room. Her ankles were crossed and resting on the lower support bar. She savored the taste of one of the seedless grapes from the platter on the counter and chased it with a sip of sweet purple colored wine. The servant girl gently lay decorative red pauldrens with golden trim upon Terra's shoulders; the final part of the new clothing the King had graciously provided. She latched them in place using the black leather straps that came from under Terra's top.

"All set." The servant smiled, turning Terra around on her stool. "Let's have a look at you."

Terra stood before the full-length golden framed mirror mounted on the wall behind her. Her hand touched her chest as a look of delight played upon her features. The formfitting sleeveless top was a bright red with designs of sparsely scattered flowers placed throughout, and a matching skirt. Her forearms were covered with red sleeves independent of the rest of her clothing. They lay over the tops of her hands looping under her middle fingers. At her waist was a flowing sash with layers of purple and pink connected in the front by way of a green emerald that had been matched perfectly to her eyes. Her legs were covered by a transparent white hosiery that extended into her low cut red boots.

She faced away from the mirror and glanced back at it over her shoulder. In the reflected image she saw the black straps of her pauldrens forming an X over her exposed back. Unconsciously she bent her hand back over her mouth and felt herself smile.

"It looks perfect," the servant girl said.

Terra's eyes followed her as she began to clasp a delicate white cape onto the pauldrens. The cloth hung loosely by way of four golden hoops. It draped low and did not hide the skin of Terra's back.

She let her hand fall from her lips and her eyes seemed to fill with life. She turned around to face the woman. "It is perfect," Terra elated.

"Now then. Where can I take you from here? The courtyard? Would you like to go for a walk? We have an excellent library. We can go anywhere you wish."

Terra seemed to consider this a moment. She lifted her cape and watched it fall. Her lips pursed with amusement.

"I hear the cafe is nice," she said.

.o.O.o.

The girl curtsied to Terra and left her at the stone archway entrance to the cafe. Across the black and white checkered floor, patrons were seated at rounded tables adorned with white cloths. A classy tune came from a live piano and in the rear was a small selection of bookshelves and large fluffy sofas. A few wayward stares followed Terra as she navigated the room, looking for her host.

Another woman in a blue dress and white top approached Terra. "May I help you?" the servant woman asked.

"I'm just looking for someone..." Terra glanced about.

"Over here!" Edgar called from across the floor.

He was seated alone in a rounded corner room built right into the walls. The nook was sectioned off by a red rope and a maître d' stood before it.

Terra smiled politely at the woman and headed for the King. The maître d' greeted Terra with a wide grin as he removed a section of the rope. Once she passed through, he latched it behind her.

Edgar stood and greeted her. "My lady." He offered a gracious bow. "I am pleased you decided to join me."

Terra offered a polite curtsy like she had seen the servant girls do. "Of course, kind Sir, how could I refuse"? She found the formality of the situation amusing.

"How indeed?" Edgar asked and pulled out of her chair.

After she was seated, he lifted the lid from the silver platter that awaited her. A puff of steam revealed a tender steak, a salad of leafy greens with vinegar dressing and a serving of red berries in a thick sauce. He seated himself across from her and served himself as well.

"I'm afraid I took the liberty of ordering for both of us. If you are in the mood for something else, all you have to do is say the word and it is yours. Wine?"

"Please."

He poured the light liquid into her glass and then his own.

"Well then," he asked, "to what shall we toast?"

She picked up her glass and thought it over a moment. "To...Figaro?"

"What better?" he smiled. "To Figaro _and_ to new...friendships."

"New friendships," she agreed and they drank.

Edgar watched as Terra cut into her steak. "I see you found the attire I selected to your liking."

"Mmm," she agreed. "It is lovely."

"It suits you. You may find yourself adjusting quickly to life here. At least while you recover from your unfortunate amnesia. But the Empire and war are hardly a proper topic over lunch. Have you been able to recall anything else? Anything before...?"

"Yes. I believe I have."

"Oh? Do tell." The king leaned forward.

"Well, it isn't much..." Her brow furrowed a bit it seemed with the thought. "But my name? I think? It came to me while I was bathing. My last name may have been Branford."

"Branford. Terra Branford. Well that is something. A good sign I think. I'm certain it will all come flooding back to you before you know it."

Terra winced just slightly. If Edgar had not been studying her face intently, the movement may have gone unnoticed.

"Everything all right?" he asked.

Her eyes cast down to the table. "Yes. No, I'm fine. Just a...just a bit of a headache. Nothing to worry about."

"Just to be safe, perhaps one of the healers should look you over. You've been through quite an ordeal."

"Why is..." she seemed to stumble over her words. "Why is everyone being so nice to me?" She looked up at him again. "Is it because of my...abilities?"

"Terra," Edgar said with a trace of disappointment. "Perish the thought. I'll give you three reasons. First of all, your beaut-"

Terra let out a shrill scream at the top of her lungs. Her glass toppled over as she brought her shaking hands to her head and leaned forward with the sharp pain.

The King was out of his seat and by her side in an instant. Music and conversation ceased and every eye in the room was upon them.

"Get help now!" Edgar ordered the maître d', and the man ran for the exit. "My lady...what can I do?"

"I'm afraid," Terra said through her tears. "Afraid to think...it hurts so much." She was on the verge of sobbing.

"Just try to relax. Stay calm and take deep breaths. We'll get through this." He stood behind her and moved his fingers under hers rubbing her temples. "Does this hurt?"

She leaned back and seemed to consider the sensation. "No. It helps...a little bit." Her voice was small and trembling.

As the king continued to massage her temples he scanned his eyes over the crowd of people still watching the scene causing most of them to turn back to their lunch.

"Don't worry. I'm here. I'll stay with you until help arrives," he said.

Terra leaned her head back into him and sighed trying to let go of the pain.

The head waiter came rushing back to the table with Captain Allyandra and a cleric dressed in a ceremonial white garb.

"My Liege," the cleric said. "What is the situation?"

Terra lowered her hands. "Just a sudden headache but, I think it's starting to pass." She looked up at Edgar. "It only hurts when I think." She tried to force a smile.

"My King," Allyandra said. "I understand the timing is poor, but I did not come to administer pills for a headache. There's someone in route to the castle. Someone who should be attended to with urgency."

"Who?" Edgar asked a bit too sharply.

"It's an ambassador from the Empire. Kefka Palazzo, Sir."

"Damn it!" Edgar swore. "Of course it has to be now."

"It's okay," Terra assured him. "It scarcely hurts any longer. Go be King. You shouldn't trouble yourself over me, I'll be all right."

Edgar was about to reply.

"Sire?" Allyandra urged him.

"All right." The King seemed to consider the situation. "I'll address Kefka, but in private. Find Locke, he'll want to hear this too. Lady Terra." He squeezed her hand gently. "Be safe until my return."

He addressed the head waiter, "Keep her out of sight. Let no one see her face until Kefka is gone."

"It will be as you say, my liege," the maître d ' said.

"See to her," Edgar commanded the healer. His cape whirled behind him as he made a hasty exit followed closely by his Captain of security.

.o.O.o.

Authors Note:

Lots of love and hard work goes into this story, so if you enjoyed it please leave a review. All opinions/thoughts/critiques are welcome, good or bad!

We are in need of editing! If anyone would like to volunteer to edit any of these chapters, please let us know!


End file.
